Love Past and Present
by Sara K M
Summary: As Maria and Georg become engaged (and work on becoming a family) Georg remembers different aspects of his relationship with Agathe.
1. Permission

LOVE PAST AND PRESENT

Chapter One: Permission

 **Disclaimers: I don't own the** _ **Sound of Music.**_ **Also, the idea for the flashbacks and the format of them isn't really mine. It comes from watching (and reading) so much OUAT.**

 **Thank you to Utility Singer for betaing. I wouldn't be posting this without her help.**

 **This story will always be updated on Fridays. Because I write for a few different fandoms, I find it easier to select a day for each of them. That being said, it won't necessarily be** _ **every**_ **Friday.**

 **I don't know how often I'll be able to update this. I'm limiting my fanfiction for Lent. (Which started this past Wednesday.) That will include reading** _ **and**_ **writing. Still, if I ever decide to stop writing this, I** _ **will**_ **tell you. Otherwise, assume I'm still writing.**

 **I'm going to try to keep this story in historical context. As a former history major, that kind of thing is important to me. I know more about US history than European, but I'll do my best to research. (I think it's fun.** **)**

 **However, it won't necessarily match up with the** _ **real**_ **Von Trapp family. Partly because I don't have access to any of the books, but more importantly because I'm trying to make this story match up to the movie timeline and characters.**

 **Oh and,**

 **OOOOOOOOOOO is time change**

 **XXXXXXXXXXX is POV change.**

Georg woke up at sunrise, as usual. Although calling it a _sunrise_ might be a bit much, considering all the grey clouds outside. But it was fine. He had more important things on his mind than the weather. Last night as he was drifting off to sleep, he thought about how to proceed with his engagement to Maria. (He _may_ have thought about the kisses, too.)

When he woke up, he decided he ought to choose a piece of jewelry to give to Maria in honor their betrothal. It would show everyone how serious he was about this. Carefully he opened the safe in the back corner of the suite. There were necklaces of gold and silver with diamond, ruby, emerald, and sapphire pendants. There were necklaces made entirely of pearls. There were bracelets made of diamonds and pearls.

Georg sighed as he continued looking. Any of these would look beautiful on Maria, but none of them seemed to really fit _her._ Then he reached in and pulled out a plain gold necklace. It was a little more Maria's style, but it had been Agathe's favorite.

 _Georg hardly noticed the drizzle as he pulled his suitcase out of the cab and headed for the Whitehead Estate in the English countryside. The only thing on his mind was his proposal to Agathe. It was time. He couldn't wait see the look on her face when he gave her the ring and asked her to marry him. Of course, before he could ask Agathe Georg would have to speak to her father. He hoped that would go well. Agathe's parents weren't terribly fond of him. Still, they hadn't stopped him from seeing her yet, so there was hope._

 _Still, what would he do if Sir Whitehead said "no"? Find someone else? He shook his head at the absurd idea. There was_ no way _he could love anyone as much as he loved Agathe. Elope? Agathe had once told him she'd consider eloping if it was necessary._ _His Agathe loved risks so much, she'd probably even be able to do it, too. For a few moments, he thought of how they would do so if Sir Whitehead turned him down. (Which Georg admitted was a fair possibility.) First, he would leave the Whitehead estate immediately, but he would stay nearby. That night, Georg would sneak back onto the property and make his presence known to Agathe. As soon as she was able to speak to him, they would make plans to sneak away. They could travel under assumed names, so her parents couldn't catch them until they were already married._

 _Then Georg came to his senses and shook his head. He could_ never _ask Agathe to elope, even if she was willing to do so. Asking her to choose between him and her family and sneaking off under assumed names was dishonest. Dishonorable. If he intended to marry Agathe, he needed to do it the honorable way, or he wouldn't be worry of her. And that meant asking and receiving permission from Sir Whitehead. Georg would just have to hope he would say yes._

 _Finally, Georg knocked on the door. "Yes. Captain von Trapp, is it?" asked the butler as he opened the door._

" _Yes."_

" _Should I tell Miss Agathe you are here, sir?"_

 _Georg shook his head. "Actually, today I'd like to see Sir Whitehead first."_

 _The butler nodded and called for Sir Whitehead._

 _Sir Whitehead nodded to Georg. "We can discuss things in my study."_

 _Georg nodded and followed the older man to the corner room on the back of the ground floor. As he sat down, Sir Whitehead handed him a handkerchief. "Why don't you wipe off your face?"_

 _Georg wasn't sure what he meant, but he did so anyway. As he did so, he realized his face was wet and a little muddy from the rain. "I apologize for not presenting myself properly." He knew he was focused on his proposal, but this was still quiet unacceptable. Would Sir Whitehead use this against him? The man already disliked Georg because he wasn't the English suitor Agathe was apparently "supposed to marry." Not to mention the fact that the Whitehead's had more money than he did. "Sir, I promise this will never happen again."_

 _Sir Whitehead nodded but said nothing._

 _Georg took that as a sign to continue. "Sir. I would like…I would appreciate…if I could have your permission. To marry Agathe," he finally managed. This wasn't easy and not just because he was afraid Sir Whitehead would say "no." Georg Von Trapp wasn't used to ask_ permission _from many people. As a navy captain he_ gave orders. _The only people he ever asked permission from were admirals and the emperor. And well, Sir Whitehead, now._

 _Sir Whitehead stared at Georg for several minutes, still saying nothing._

" _I have a ring for her," Georg continued, pulling out the small dimaond ring he'd brought for Agathe to wear if his proposal was accepted. Perhaps this would show the other man how serious he was._

 _Sir Whitehead picked up the ring and began examining it. "Hmmmm," he commented several times._

 _Georg realized that Sir Whitehead would probably say "no" now. How would he live without Agathe? Fortunately, he knew how to look neutral. Georg wasn't about to let Sir Whitehead know how upset he was at this._

 _Finally Sir Whitehead commented, "I believe Agathe is worth more than this_ little _ring. A bigger diamond perhaps?"_

 _Georg sighed and nodded. Well, there was nothing more to do here, then, was there?_

 _As he began to get up, Georg had an idea. "What if I just used this as a placeholder? Then I will buy her a different ring? Something with a bigger diamond? Or more diamonds? Would you allow me to propose to Agathe then?"_

 _Sir Whitehead sighed and nodded. "That would be acceptable, I suppose."_

 _Georg heart practically lifted out of his chest. But all he said was, "Thank you, Sir."_

 _Ten minutes later, Georg did ask Agathe to marry him. Her face lit up just as much as he knew it would as she threw her arms around him. And she thought the little diamond was perfect, although she would be happy to wear more, as well._

Georg's mind drifted back to the present as he looked at the "ring with more diamonds:" He put it back and began searching once again. His hand found the gold necklace again. "Wouldn't Liesl like to have that necklace?" a voice, which reminded him very much of Maria's, asked. He bristled at the thought of giving Liesl fine jewelry, but the reality was the gold necklace was one of the least fancy items. And Maria was correct. Liesl was growing up.

But Georg still needed a ring for Maria. A ruby to match the red in her hair? Or a sapphire to match her eyes? Finally he, settled on a pearl surrounded by small sapphires. It fit _her_ in a way none of the others did. The pearl looked sweet and innocent but the sapphires were strong.

Georg entered the dining room and found the table already for breakfast. Fiedrich, Liesl, Kurt entered the room as well, with Louisa following soon afterwards. As much as he loved his children, he was disappointed. He had been hoping Maria would come down before the children this morning, and they could have more private time. But there would certainly be time for that later. He smiled at them. "Good morning."

"The others will be down soon, Father," Liesl assured him. "They wanted Fraulein Maria to braid their hair. We told them you wouldn't want anyone to be late, but they insisted."

"Fraulein Maria would have been down sooner otherwise," Kurt added. They were trying to defend Maria so Georg wouldn't be angry at her for being late. Perhaps they were even still afraid he might send her away? Georg resisted the urge to laugh at the ridiculous concept. He had to admit, he still found her lateness a little annoying, but how could he be angry at her for giving the girls some extra attention and care?

"That is fine," he reassured the older children.

The relief on the children's faces was obvious.

Twenty long minutes later Maria and the other children skipped into the room. She looked beautiful, as always, dressed in her gold dress. "See my pretty hair, Father?" Marta asked him softly, turning to show him her braid. "Fraulein Maria braided it perfectly."

He smiled at how happy Maria made his children. "Yes, Marta. She did. She made _all_ of your hair look wonderful." As he said that, he looked into Maria's eyes, trying to show his appreciation.

"Can we eat now, Father?" Kurt asked.

Georg nodded. "I think that's a marvelous idea," he replied as he prepared to tell Franz to bring the food in.

Brigitta looked around the table for a second. "But Father, where is Baroness Schraeder?"

The other children looked sharply at her and Fiedrich commented, "That's none of your business."

Georg sighed. He had been hoping to discuss this _after_ breakfast, on full stomachs, but he supposed he should at least answer Brigitta's question. "She returned to Vienna."

Brigitta nodded.

With that, Georg signaled for Franz to bring in the food. After Maria said grace, they all dug into eggs, sausage, and fresh fruit. As the children chattered on about what they wished to do with Maria that day, Louisa suddenly asked, "When will the Baroness return?"

"She won't actually," Georg admitted. "We called off our engagement."

All of the children shared looks of amazement and relief. Gretl even said, "Yay! No more Baroness!"

Maria shook her head at her. "Now, don't be rude. I know the Bareness was…difficult at times, but that's still no reason to say that."

Gretl hung her head. "I'm sorry, Fraulein Maria." Georg loved the way Maria could scold the children without making them feel scared or unloved. He wished he could do the same.

Liesl studied her father's face for several minutes, but said nothing.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

When breakfast was finished, Georg knew they all felt more alert. This was the perfect time to talk to the children about their plans, as well as give Maria her new ring. "I want all of you to go into the drawing room," he commanded before they could disappear anywhere else.

The children looked confused, but did so. After they all sat down, Georg sat on the sofa right next to Maria. "We have something we'd like to tell – " he began, but Maria looked at him sharply and shook her head. Her stare reminded him of the way she'd look at him after she'd climbed out of the rowboat. He nodded as he remembered they had agreed they would _ask_ the children about their engagement. Maria was right, as usual of course. Maria came to them as _their_ governess first, so their opinions on the matter should be heard.

Still, if it was hard to ask _Sir Whitehead's_ permission to marry, Agathe, it was so much harder to ask his children's permission. _Asking permission_ for _anything_ barely made any sense to him anymore. He didn't answer to admirals now that he was retired (and Georg would _never_ answerto the new group emerging), and there was no emperor now. He had little contact with Sir Whitehead. Asking permission, particularly to his children, went against Georg's instincts. At least he was relatively certain the children liked _him_ better than Sir Whitehead had.

"I mean, there's… something we would like to _ask_ you," Georg finally corrected himself.

The children looked at him with wide eyes. Kurt's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Why would you need to _ask_ us anything, Father?" Fiedrich commented. Apparently this wasn't easy for them to understand, either. Even though he'd tried to be much more approachable this summer, the children were still used to _asking him_ for permission, not the other way around.

"Well, as I have told you, Baroness Schraeder left," he began.

"Does that mean Fraulein Maria can stay?" Gretl asked eagerly.

Georg leaned over and rustled his youngest daughter's hair. "It might."

"Well, if _that's_ what you wanted to ask, then the answer is yes, Father! Of course we want her to stay," Liesl exclaimed.

"If _she_ wants to, that is," Louisa added, uncertainly.

"I would, actually," Maria replied, softly.

There were a chorus of cheers from the children, and Georg waited for them to calm down. "But that's isn't all. You see, I wasn't planning on having her stay as a _governess._ "

"What else could she be?" asked Marta, confused.

Finally Georg pulled out the ring he'd chosen for Maria. "I was hoping you'd agree for her to be my wife. And your new mother."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gretl and Marta (who had been clinging to Maria all morning) squealed with delight and launched themselves into her arms. Liesl looked from the Captain to Maria and nodded. "I _knew_ there was something going on between you two. I just couldn't figure out what it was."

"I think Fraulein Maria would be much better than the Bareness," Kurt commented, nodding.

Maria sighed with relief. She had been afraid the children wouldn't want her as a mother. What would they have done if the children didn't agree? Then, Maria realized that thought may have come too soon when Louisa asked, "Do you _want_ to be our new mother, Fraulein Maria?"

Maria sighed, mentally scolding herself for leaving this family again. "Of course I do, darling."

" _Why_ do need to ask our permission first, Father?" Fredrick asked confused.

"Because Maria came to us as your governess. Her only priority was to you. As my wife, her priorities would be split between you and me," the Captain replied. Maria smiled and nodded at him. She was happy that he was willing to explain that to the children, although he'd tried to avoid asking them before.

All of the children thought about this for several minutes before each one began to nod. Liesl first, then Fiedrich, then Brigitta, Marta and Gretl at the same time, and finally Kurt and Louisa. The Captain smiled brightly and slowly slipped the ring on Maria's finger. Her heart jumped when his hand touched hers. She loved how warm his hands were.

"Can I see it?" Liesl asked excitedly.

Maria nodded and held out her left hand. "I chose that one because it reminded me of Maria. Young like a pearl, but _strong,_ too, like the sapphires." She smiled, loving the idea that he'd chosen the ring for such a special reason.

The rest of the children crowded around to see the ring. "I think the blue matches her eyes, too," Marta added.

The Captain smiled. "I _may_ have thought of that as well."

Maria blushed at that. She couldn't help but notice how blue his eyes were as well.

"Now, please go upstairs to study," he tried to instruct the children, but they all protested.

"- But Father!"

"- No!"

"- How can we concentrate on schoolwork _today?_

"- Can't we take a day off?"

"Quiet!" the Captain told them all firmly.

Maria was glad when they were all silent; it was a bit too much noise even for her when they all spoke at once. But she had to agree expecting them to study to day was probably asking a bit much. "I think they've had too much excitement. Couldn't they wait just _one_ day?"

The Captain sighed. "I suppose you're right, Maria. Although it's raining outside, so you'll have to stay in the house."

"Can we play hide – and – seek Fraulein Maria?" Kurt asked.

"I think that sounds reasonable."

"Come on. You can be 'it'!" added Marta, tugging on Maria's arm.

Maria laughed and started to follow the children when she remembered something. "I'm sorry. I can't. I have to write to the Reverend Mother."

The disappointed faces on the children almost made Maria reconsider, even though she really should write to the Reverend Mother as soon as possible. But then the Captain surprised her. "I can play with you while Maria is busy."

"Really Father?" the children asked eagerly.

"Of course." It was wonderful to see him volunteering to spend time with the children. And he allowed Maria to do what she needed to at the same time. He really was a wonderful man.

So Maria went upstairs to write her letter while the children and their father played.

 **I'd love some reviews, whether they are good, bad, or a little of both.**

 **All reviews will receive responses, whether you're registered or not, in the next chapter.**

 **However, if anyone is uncomfortable receiving a public response, you're welcome to PM your review instead.**

 **Edit: Can anyone tell me how to write titles for my chapters? Usually I don't title chapters, but I've got some good title ideas for this story. But I can't figure how to get the title name to come up instead of just "chapter one."**


	2. Jewlery and Georg

Chapter Two: Jewelry and Georg

 **Disclaimers: I don't own the** _ **Sound of Music.**_ **Also, the idea for the flashbacks and the format of them isn't really mine. It comes from watching (and reading) so much OUAT.**

 **Thanks to Utility – Singer for betaing again.**

 **Yes, this was supposed to be a multi – chapter story, and no I didn't forget about it. I've just been limiting my fanfiction because of Lent.**

 **Just a reminder**

 **OOOOOOOOOO is time change**

 **XXXXXXXXXXX is POV change**

Maria disappeared upstairs and the children took off to find hiding places. As Georg began to count, he suddenly remembered the gold necklace he'd planned to give Liesl. He would like to give her the necklace right away, but Georg decided he should finish counting first. After all, he'd promised the children he'd play with them. If he thought about things carefully, he should find Liesl first, anyway.

Liesl would have to hide in a spot that could fit her, so that excluded most of the pantry. Georg was pretty sure Liesl wouldn't fit under the sofa, either. Perhaps she was under the staircase? He checked there first, and sure enough, Liesl was there. "Hello, Father," she greeted him. "That was fast," she added, sounding impressed.

Georg nodded. "There isn't much I can't figure out, you should know that, Liesl," he told her. It was nice that he could still impress his children sometimes. Especially his oldest. "Listen, since we're alone, I have something for you." He slowly pulled the gold necklace and held it up for her to see. "It was your mother's favorite."

Liesl nodded eagerly. "Thank you, Father. Thank you very much." She stepped out of her hiding place and he handed her the necklace. "I'll take good care of it."

Georg nodded. "I know you will."

She looked at the necklace closely for a few moments and then nodded. "I remember mother wearing this. She always looked beautiful with it on."

Georg nodded, remembering. It was nice that it didn't hurt to remember Agathe any longer. "You will, too, Liesl. You already are." With that, he leaned in and gave her a gentle hug. She hugged him back. "Now I have six other children to find. They won't be able to escape me!"

Liesl laughed a little. "I'll put this upstairs in a safe place." She gave her father a little smile. "Perhaps I'll wear it to your wedding?"

Georg nodded, smiling as well. "That sounds perfect." As Liesl disappeared upstairs, he began thinking of where he would find the other children.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Two hours later, Georg had found _almost_ all of the children. Most of them had been fairly easy, when he thought about each of the children and the hiding places available in the house. Marta and Gretl could fit into smaller places than the other children could, but Gretl would never hide in a place that was too dark. Georg easily found her under the dining room table, along with Brigitta. Marta hid in cupboard that was big enough to fit her and probably no one else. Friedrich was taller than the others, so there were only so many places he could hide. It didn't take Georg very long to find his older son behind the ballroom door.

Kurt, however, was not so easy to find. Georg tried every place he could think of for his younger son to hide, but Kurt simply wasn't there. Georg was impressed with his son's ability to find a perfect hiding place. How long had the boy been excelling at these things? Until recently, the only thing that he noticed about his children was how they responded to a whistle and how well they marched. And how many tricks they could play on their governesses. Today only illustrated how much he _still_ didn't know about some of them.

As Georg continued to search for Kurt, he noticed Maria coming down the stairs and passed to admire her. It was so wonderful that she would soon be his wife. "Hi," she greeted him, blushing a little when she saw him watching her. The blush was quite becoming on her, too. "Have you found all the children?"

"All except for Kurt. The boy seems to be a master hider."

Maria laughed, and Georg enjoyed the way her face lit up. "Yes. I've noticed that, too."

Georg nodded. It wasn't surprising that Maria already knew about Kurt's hiding ability. "I'm sure you have." He took her hand, wanting, no _needing_ to touch her in some way. As he did so, he felt his wedding ring rub against her fingers.

 _Wedding ring._

Georg chastised himself for not thinking of this earlier, perhaps when he was looking for a ring for Maria. He shouldn't wear the wedding ring he'd worn to honor Agathe if he planned to marry Maria. Still, taking off the ring would feel strange. It was ironic, considering most thought him strange for wearing a wedding ring in the first place.

" _So if I understand it correctly, Captain von Trapp, you want_ one _wedding band for your fiancée and_ one _wedding band for you?" the jeweler had asked him when he bought his ring._

" _Yes, that is correct," Georg replied firmly._

 _The jeweler shook his head as he stared at Georg. "I just don't understand why a big navel hero should need to wear women's jewelry…Well not really_ women's, _but…I don't know any other man who wears a wedding ring…"_

 _Georg shook his head back at the other man. "I have my reasons, and they shouldn't matter to you, so long as I pay for the rings," he told the jeweler firmly._

" _Yes, of course, Captain von Trapp. You are correct, sir." With that, he handed Georg the boxes with the rings in them and Georg handed him the money._

 _Georg knew plenty of other men would find it strange that he planned to wear a wedding ring after he married Agathe. But he didn't care. He was determined to show_ everyone _that he would be happily married and off – limits._

 _Many of his Navy comrades told him marrying an English woman was unwise, because English were the enemy. The fact that Agathe's family had lived in Austria made no difference to them. They insisted he would be unhappy marrying Agathe, and often tried to encourage him to sample Austrian woman while Agathe wasn't around. He refused, of course, but they kept at it._

 _Other Navy men were disappointed for different reasons all together. They claimed they hoped Georg would marry their sister, or cousin, or something like that, to keep their families close. Especially considering these women were quite found of Georg, apparently._

 _Then there were the women, who kept flirting with him everywhere he went. Sometimes even when he was with Agathe._

 _There was Sir Whitehead, who was becoming…concerned about Georg's popularity with women._

 _Wearing a wedding ring wouldn't solve these problems, but Georg believed it would help. He was_ certain _it would help._

Now, however, it _wouldn't_ help with his new marriage. Georg withdrew his hand from Maria's, feeling a little disappointed in the loss of contact. Then he carefully slipped off the ring. "I don't need to wear this anymore," he told her.

"Really?" She looked into his eyes as she said this.

He nodded, confidently, looking into hers. "Really."

Maria smiled at him. Then she carefully picked up the ring and examined it. "I'm so used to it being on your finger, though. Your hands won't be the same without it."

Georg nodded. That was true. "Perhaps I can buy another one. For _our_ marriage?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Maria nodded slowly as she stared at the Captain's hands. She'd noticed them early on, and those hands had helped her fall in love with him. She'd watched his hands as they'd gently touch his children more and more. She saw how strong his hands were when helped lift the puppet show theater. She watched his hands play the guitar the night he'd sang _Edelweiss_. And finally she'd _felt_ how strong and gentle his hands were when she held him in arms last night. But _every time_ Maria saw those wonderful hands, they always had a gold wedding ring on the right hand. She knew the Captain took off the ring as a way to honor her, and Maria appreciated that. But seeing him without the ring was…kind of odd. "I hope you'll replace it soon," she told him. Slowly, she began caressing his hands.

"I'll replace it as soon as were married," he promised. "And _that_ will be as soon as possible."

Maria smiled at him. "Good." She picked up his old wedding ring again, while still caressing his hands with her other hand. "Why did you wear this when you were married to Agathe?" she suddenly wondered. "It's isn't very common for men. I mean, I suppose it isn't really my business…." She covered her mouth. She still spoke before she thought too much. The Captain probably didn't want to talk to her about his former marriage. "I'm sorry, Captain, she added, withdrawing her hands from him completely.

The Captain shook his head firmly. "It most certainly _is_ your business, Maria. My life is your business. There's no need to apologize for being curious about my past. And it's Georg, remember?" He picked up her hands and began caressing them, just as she had done with his.

Maria nodded, although she couldn't imagine thinking of him as anything but the Captain. Her Captain.

"I wore a wedding ring when I married Agathe because a lot of people didn't sound or act like they took my marriage seriously. It was a way I could show them _I_ took my marriage seriously," he told her.

Maria nodded again. That made sense. Georg was a very honorable man. She loved his honor. Much more than she loved his hands (which were still caressing hers).

"A wedding ring could help _us_ , too, actually," Georg commented. "Unfortunately, a lot of Austrian society probably won't take our relationship seriously, either."

"Because you had been courting the Baroness, you mean?" Maria asked, thinking of one of the reasons she'd never taken the Captain's attention to her sincerely before.

He nodded. "Yes. There is that. But there is also the fact that you had been my employee. Some people might think that we've been…" He seemed to be trying to find the right words to explain. It was interesting to see him so unsure what to say.

Fortunately, Maria understood what he was saying. "Behaving immorally?" she finished for him.

"Well, yes," the Captain admitted. "I'm sorry about that Maria. I wish I could protect you from this more. But if I wear a wedding ring, at least people might _start_ to understand I'm truly married. To you."

"That's probably a good thing," Maria agreed. Then she spotted her letter to the Reverend Mother, lying on the floor. She must have dropped it after the Captain took her hands in his. She leaned down and picked it up. "I'm afraid I need to mail this."

The Captain nodded. "Of course. I'm supposed to be looking for Kurt, anyway. It amazes me that a man who was an expert at hiding a submarine can't find the hiding place of an eleven – year – old boy." He sounded a little frustrated to Maria, but also quite proud of his son.

"He probably takes after you, then," she told him.

The Captain smiled and nodded.

"If you're still looking for him when I finish mailing this, I could help you find him?" Maria offered.

"Wonderful," the Captain agreed.

Maria prepared to walk off to the mailbox, but he grabbed her and gave her a firm kiss before she could do so. After a couple of moments, they reluctantly parted. She smiled and he grinned back at her.

 **Thank you very much for all the reviews. Seriously, TSOM fans are better at giving reviews than any fandom I've written for. Please keep them coming.**

 **Here's your responses. (I know some people don't like long ANs, but there are reasons why I prefer to respond this way. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it.)**

 **Callumrogers: Glad you liked the flashback in the first chapter. Hope you like the flashback in this chapter, too.**

 **Mara: Yes, he gave her the necklace in this chapter.**

 **Honkytonkangel: Glad you liked the ring scene. I figure Gretl probably disliked Elsa the most, of all the children, being the youngest. And young children often speak without thinking, so I could see her reacting the strongest when Gretl knows Elsa is gone for good. Georg volunteers to play with the children because he wants to, of course. But also to give Maria the time she needs to herself.**

 **Leonie: I think they're already a family, too, in many ways. I put the part about "becoming a family" in the summary because I wanted to indicate that I'm planning on having a LOT of moments with the children in this story. I like to think if the children had said "no," Maria and Georg would have tried to convince the children to change their minds, rather than marry against their wishes. But fortunately for them, they don't have to worry about that.**

 **Bloghey: Glad you liked the first scene.**

 **Genovian Lass: Thank you. Hope you liked the update.**

 **Augieannie: Glad you liked the flashbacks, because there's going to be a lot of them in this.**

 **Thoughts of joy: Glad you liked Georg's honor in the flashbacks. I think Georg would know to pick Maria a** _ **nice**_ **ring, but wasn't too ostentatious. That's what I had him do. I'll try to watch for typos.**


	3. Friends

Friends

 **Disclaimers: I don't own the** _ **Sound of Music.**_ **Also, the flashbacks and format for them isn't really mine. It comes from watching (and reading) so much OUAT.**

 **I apologize for the** _ **extremely**_ **long wait for those of you that have already read the first two chapters. As I say in my profile, if I** _ **ever**_ **decide to abandon a story, I will** _ **tell**_ **you. Otherwise, assume I'm still writing it, no matter how long it takes for me to update.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to someone whose questions and discussions about this story has helped keep me interested in writing it for the past nine months. (And also assuring me that I am capable of writing Georg properly.) Merry Christmas and you know who you are. :)**

It only took Maria a few minutes to mail the letter to the Reverend Mother. Afterwards, she eagerly joined the search to find Kurt. Louisa and Marta had decided to help search for their brother as well. The four of them were having so much fun, Maria wasn't even sure they were looking that hard at this point.

Marta lifted the curtain in the drawing room. "He's not there, either!"

Maria chuckled. So did Louisa. If Kurt had been behind the curtain, they would have all seen him sooner.

The Captain shook his head. "No, Marta, it's obvious he's not behind the curtain." To Maria's delight, he picked the girl up. "Where else do you think we should look next?"

"Upstairs," Marta replied automatically. Her face shown with even more happiness that her father had asked her opinion. Maria loved seeing that.

They four of them searched several different rooms upstairs. Suddenly, Kurt came running out of Louisa and Brigitta's bedroom. "Is it time for lunch yet? I'm _so_ hungry."

Everyone laughed. _Of course_ Kurt's stomach would give him away in the end. Still, how could they have guested he would be hiding in one of the girls' bedrooms? Usually the boy avoided his sisters' rooms as much as possible.

Kurt grinned. "So I won? Again? I knew hiding under Lousia's bed was a good idea!"

"Yes, you won," Louisa grumbled. "But I'll find something else to outdo you soon!" she added in a determined voice.

Marta nodded a little more pleasantly. Both of the girls left the room.

The Captain shook his head. "Yes, but I could have found you eventually. You gave yourself away, son."

Maria shook her head a little as Kurt's face fell slightly. Apparently, even though the Captain had been impressed with his son's hiding ability, he wasn't willing to admit defeat. She would praise the boy herself, but she knew it would mean more coming from his father. She gave the Captain a reproachful look. The same one she'd given him earlier today when the Captain had tried to avoid asking permission to marry her.

The Captain nodded. "But I _was_ impressed that you were such a good hider. You have the instinct of a u – boat man."

Kurt beamed, looking more proud than if he'd been handed a metal.

Maria smiled at her Captain. Sometimes he still needed a little prompting, but she didn't mind. She was happy to help.

The Captain looked at his watch. "Actually, I think you are correct, Kurt. It is lunch time."

Kurt made a dash to the dining room.

As the children disappeared, the Captain picked up Maria's hand and kissed it. "Thank you. I'm afraid I almost let my ego get the better of me. I should be proud of my son. I _am_ proud of him. But still… thinking anyone is better than me is…" He shook his head.

"The important thing is that you correct your mistakes. Kurt knows you're proud of him."

The Captain nodded. "Let's go to lunch."

The cook had made soup for lunch, and it was delicious. Franz seemed to be a particularly horrible mood as his scowl was worse than normal. Maria ignored him. The children and her fiancé were much more important.

"Can we go outside after lunch, Fraulein Maria?" Gretl asked as she sipped her soup.

"I think it's still raining, dear," Maria replied, patting the girl's hand in apology. For a second, she glanced longingly at the backyard. She wished they could go outdoors today, too.

"Can't we just put on rain coats, though? It's gets boring, staying inside all day all the time," Louisa protested.

"It's still too messy," the Captain replied, glancing at the windows for a second. The rain was still coming down.

"But Father –"

"Come on –"

"Pleassseee – "

Maria hated to break their hearts. The children knew how to get to her with their pleading puppy eyes. She desperately wanted to say "yes." But she knew playing outside in the rain wasn't a good idea. "No, children. It's wet outside, and I don't want you to get sick. Gretl, you've barely recovered from your cold after the rowboat tipped over."

The Captain mouthed "thank you," to her as the children focused on their lunches again. Maria felt a warmness in her chest, thinking how nice it was to take care of his children _together_.

After lunch, the Marta and Gretl dragged Maria upstairs to play dolls with them. For little girls they could be surprisingly strong when they wished to be. Still Maria didn't mind, thinking she owed them because she hadn't let them go outside. But as they reached the top of the stairs, they ran into Frau Schmidt, who seemed to be finishing up some dusting.

"Frau Schmidt, did you hear that Fraulein Maria is going to marry Father?" Gretl asked excitedly.

"Then she'll be our Mother and live with us forever and ever. Right Fraulein Maria?" Marta added. Both of them gave her pleading eyes again. Fortunately _this_ was a request Maria had no problem answering.

"Of course, Marta," Maria smiled at both of them. "Forever."

Frau Schmidt nodded. "I heard about that, yes." The woman looked uncertainty at Maria. "Congratulations, ma'am. I'm sure you'll all be very happy." Then she picked up her feather duster again. "I'll get back to my dusting right away, of course." And with that, the housekeeper disappeared faster than a jack rabbit.

Maria thought about the exchange as she began playing with Marta and Gretl. Frau Schmidt had always been quite friendly with her. Usually the older woman called her "Maria." Now suddenly she was "ma'am?" And Fra Schmidt seemed uncomfortable around her. Probably because Maria was no longer an employee. Was this another aspect of marrying her Captain? Being treated differently by people? She didn't feel any different. Why did she have to be treated differently?

XXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOO

Georg slammed the phone down, grunting as he did so. He should have known the newspaper editor would have that kind of reaction to his engagement. He _did_ know, actually. But still. _"You're marrying_ who?" _the editor had asked him._

" _I'm marrying a delightful young woman named Maria Rainer_ ," _Georg had replied, firmly._

" _But Sir…I'm afraid I don't understand…I thought…I mean_ I've never heard of her."

" _I don't see why that's any business of yours. I'm sure you'll hear wonderful things about her soon enough. Especially considering you're_ going to put _the announcement_ _in tomorrow's newspaper."_

" _Yes, of course, Sir. It's just…I never thought I'd hear the day when a decorated Captain would wed…well, we all thought you would be marrying Baroness Elsa Schraeder."_

" _Elsa and I have parted ways," Georg replied, with and edge. What was this man trying to say about Maria? "Miss Rainer and I are much more suited for each other."_

" _If you say so, Sir," the editor replied, sounding uncertain. Just before he hung up the telephone, Georg thought he heard the editor mutter. "I wonder how long this will last…" but he couldn't be sure._

Georg took several deep breaths to compose himself. He didn't want to scare his children. Especially not after all the work he'd done so they wouldn't fear him any longer. But hearing that man talk about Maria that way…Georg hated it. _Really_ hated it. Maria may not be a baroness _yet_ , but that didn't matter. The idea that she wasn't good enough for him was ridiculous. Unfortunately, he had a feeling many people would have something negative to say about this engagement. It was a good thing he was used to controlling his emotions.

Yes, it was a fact that many people in Salsburg wouldn't approve of Maria and Georg's engagement. Purchasing a wedding ring for himself would help a little, but plenty of people would still gossip before they were married. Somehow, Georg would have to protect Maria and the children from such hurtful words. Perhaps he would simply travel with them any time they left the Villa?

And Max, of course. Max would stay here, as a chaperone again. That would help, too. Hopefully. Where was he, anyway? Shouldn't he have taken care of Elsa by now?

A couple of minutes later, Georg heard someone at the door. It was almost as if he had summoned Max simply by thinking about him. He left the study just as Franz grumbled that Herr Detweiler had returned. Georg tried to move through the house quickly, hoping to talk to him before the children did. What if Max didn't approve of his decision to marry Maria, either? After all, Elsa had been almost a sister to the impresario in the few years he'd know her. Besides, Max had been gone a long time. Georg needed to make sure. He had to protect his children from _any_ negative attitudes.

Unfortunately, he'd forgotten how fast Louisa was when she wanted to be. "Hi, Uncle Max" Georg heard his daughter greet him.

With her long legs, Liesl easily followed right behind her sister. Georg saw Max's thin mustache and mischievous smile greet his oldest daughters. "Do you know Father and Fraulein Maria are going to be married?" Liesl asked brightly.

Georg gave Max his death glare, hoping to make the other man realize the consequences for not responding appropriately.

But he shouldn't have worried. Max laughed and replied, "That doesn't surprise me at all. It sounds like a wonderful plan."

Georg met his friend's eyes and they grinned at each other as the children ran off again. "What took you so long, anyway? I thought you'd be back as soon as possible so you could take advantage of my home and my cook again!" he teased his friend. Still, Georg _was_ a little interested in where Max had been all night and all afternoon.

Max shrugged. "Elsa missed the last train last night so we had to wait until morning."

Georg nodded. Of course Max should be concerned about Elsa as well. "Will she be all right?" Despite how happy he was with Maria, Georg felt bad for Elsa. He treated the woman horribly in the last couple of days.

"Of course. She said everything would be better when she returned home. I could see her looking better as soon as she climbed on the train, actually," Max told him in a serious voice. Although Georg was aware that he wasn't always as truthful as Georg was with some things, he also knew Max would _never_ lie about Elsa's well – being. Georg let the relief wash over him that Elsa would recover soon.

"Meanwhile, I think staying here gets better and better all the time," Max continued in his usual more cheerful manner. "It's certainly happier. I'm glad you finally made it official, Georg. Maria is perfect for you _and_ your family." He slapped his hand on Georg's back.

Georg couldn't believe he'd doubted Max's loyalty, even for a second. Max had known Georg far longer than he'd known Elsa, despite their close platonic friendship. Furthermore, there was a reason why Max Detweiler was the best friend he'd ever had.

 _Georg had been courting Agathe for about a year when he was finally able to propose. She accepted, of course, and happily began preparing for their wedding in England. Meanwhile, Georg prepared for their live together in Austria._

 _Unfortunately, most of his friends didn't seem to agree with his choice of a bride. For some it was because Agathe was British. For others it was because they'd hoped Georg would marry one of their relatives. A couple of men were disappointed he planned to marry at all, because they would have less time to go gallivanting._

 _But when Georg told a man who he'd once served as his lieutenant during the war for a short time, the man congratulated him for his wedding_ and _his choice of bride. That man was Max Detweiler. "Agathe sounds perfect for you, Georg. A proper lady, but a risk – taker, too, right?"_

 _Georg smiled and nodded. It was so nice to hear one of his friends approve. But then, why should this surprise him? Max was one of the most loyal crew members he'd ever had. Georg even tolerated it when the man referred to him by his first name. And since the man was more concerned with having a good time than anything else, of course he wished Georg to be as happy as possible._

" _Then I'm sure you'll be very happy. Perhaps you could invite me over for dinner sometime after you're married? Then we could still see each other occasionally. If you're not too busy, of course." Max laughed at that, his innuendo obvious by the look on his face. Max must have seen Georg and Agathe together at some point._

 _Georg nodded. He could think of some reasons they might be_ quite _busy after he and Agathe were married, but maybe they could invite Max over about once a year? He certainly deserved more consideration than any of his other friends, who didn't care how happy Georg was with Agathe. Speaking of which… "Max how would you like to be my best man?"_

 _OOOOOOOOOOO_

 _After Georg and Agathe were married they were indeed_ busy _a lot. Still, they found time for friends and often hosted parties, as of course most of his friends accepted Agathe's gentle spirit and ladylike manner. But none of their friends visited more than Max, and he was always welcome. After all, Max was a_ true friend. _He visited them so often, in fact, that the children took to calling him "Uncle Max."_

OOOOOOOOOOOO

When it was time for dinner, Max, was already sitting down, looking right at home. The rest of the children happily greeted their uncle.

"It's good to have you back, Uncle Max," Friedrich commented.

"Definitely. I wasn't sure you'd come back, now that the Baroness is gone," Brigitta commented.

"Now Brigitta, you don't _really_ think I stayed here just because Elsa was here, do you?" Max asked her.

Brigitta shrugged. "Well, isn't the Baroness one of your best friends?" she asked. Georg looked at her, a bit surprised that one of his children was aware how good friends Max and Elsa were. Of course Maria had told him that Brigitta "noticed everything." Naturally, Maria had been correct about that.

"Well, I have a much better reason for staying here: the food is amazing!" Max laughed, joking as always. Everyone else joined in. It was nice to have something to laugh about, instead of that tense atmosphere from last night's dinner.

"No, actually I came back because your father needs me here again, and he _is_ my best friend." Max glanced in Georg's direction as he said this. It was nice that Max _knew_ he would be needed as a chaperone again, without being asked. Not that it took much for Max to agree to stay here, but still. Georg could really depend on Max when he needed to.

Maria came down the stairs with Marta and Gretl. They were a couple of minutes late _again_ , but when Georg looked at Marta and Gretl's freshly braided hair and the big smiles on all of their faces, he decided it didn't matter. "Hi Uncle Max!" Gretl greeted him, her five - year old body launching at her uncle like a missile to give him a big hug. "Do you know Fraulein Maria is going to be our mother, and we get to keep her forever?"

Max chuckled and returned Gretl's hug. "I heard about that, yes." Then he looked up at Maria and grinned. "Congratulations, Maria."

Maria smiled back. "Thank you, Herr Detweiler."

Georg and Max shook their heads at the same time at that. "Maria, I've never been one for formalities. I'd much prefer it if you called me 'Max.' Besides, you're no longer an employee."

Maria nodded, looking a little uncertain. She was uncomfortable with her new role, Georg realized. Perhaps that was why she called him "Captain" this morning? Such a contrast to the woman who was so self – confident about taking care of the children. He hoped he could ease her mind soon enough. He squeezed Maria's hand, hoping to reassure her. She smiled back at him gratefully, and they all sat down. Georg wouldn't mind teaching Maria about society rules, just the same as she taught him about his children.

"So do you know when the wedding will be?" Liesl asked after they'd said grace and began eating.

"Soon," Georg replied firmly.

All the children nodded in agreement at that. "Speaking of the wedding, can I presume I'll be the best man again?" Max asked, with his eyes twinkling.

It was _so_ like Max to ask a question like that! Fortunately, Georg had only one answer. "I guess you'll do," he joked. "Of course you'll be my best man! Who else is there?"

"Who are _you_ going to ask, Fraulein Maria?" Brigitta asked, sounding a little confused.

Max nodded eagerly. "Yes! I'd love to know more about this wedding. Who will be coming, who else will be in the wedding party, and all of that!"

Maria looked uncomfortable again, and Max wasn't helping. Georg shot his friend a look and shook his head. It occurred to Georg she probably didn't know anyone suitable for the task. Her closest friends were the nuns, after all. "You've got plenty of time to think about it, Maria," he told her. Perhaps Georg should introduce her to some of the women in his class who he thought would have a positive attitude about her?

But to his surprise, Maria looked at him and shook his head. "No, I think I know who I would like to have with me. Liesl, how would _you_ like to be my maid of honor?"

Liesl jumped up from her seat, her brown hair bouncing a little as she did so. Then she threw her arms around Maria. "Oh, thank you, Fraulein Maria, I'd love to!"

Georg was surprised. He'd never considered asking Liesl, but he supposed she was old enough. Liesl _was_ sixteen, after all. _She isn't a child anymore_ , he remembered Maria telling him again. Maria was correct. They needed to start treating Liesl like the young lady she was. "I think that sounds like a fine idea," he agreed.

After Liesl returned to her seat, Georg looked at his other children's faces, trying to make sure they weren't feeling left out.

"Is that all right with the rest of you?" Maria asked, too. Georg loved how she immediately became concerned about the other children.

"Don't worry about me," Louisa replied right away. "I'm glad you're going to be married, but I don't need to wear a long gown to celebrate the occasion."

Kurt and Friedrich shrugged.

"Can _I_ wear a long gown to celebrate the occasion?" Gretl asked eagerly, showing her puppy eyes for the second time that day.

Georg and Maria looked each other and chuckled at that. Suddenly Georg realized there was a way for Gretl to do just that. "How would you like to be a flower girl for the wedding?" he asked his youngest daughter.

Gretl's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes Father! Please!"

"Of course, Gretl. And Marta and Brigitta could be flower girls with you."

"I'd love to!" Marta agreed, much louder than she usually did.

But Brigitta shook her head in disinterest, her brown braid flopping from side to side as her head moved. "Father I'm _ten_ _years_ old. That's _too old_ to be a flower girl."

Georg looked at her in surprise. Was Brigitta really that old? He supposed in some ways, he still thought of Brigitta as the six year old she was when Agathe died. "You're correct, Brigitta. Sometimes I forget."

As they continued their dinner, talking about the wedding and Max making them laugh, Georg thought about Maria again. It was too bad she didn't have anyone to give her away. Walking down the aisle by herself…would she be overwhelmed? After all, Maria already seemed a little overwhelmed by her change in status. Could Georg find someone to walk her down so she wouldn't be so alone?

He tried to think of some of his friends he might ask, but none of them really fit. Even Max, for all his loyalty and approval of Maria, didn't sound right. Max would have enough to worry about as the best man, anyway. Then Georg's eyes suddenly fell on his older son. _"He wants to be a man, but there's no one to show him how!"_ Maria had told him earlier this summer. Georg needed to start treating Friedrich like he was a man. A young man, but still with more respect and responsibility than before. "Friedrich, how would you like to 'give Maria away' at the wedding?"

Friedrich looked at his father in shock for a second before he sat high in his chair. "I would…like that very much. As long as she agrees, of course."

"I would love that, Friedrich. After all, your father asked you and your brothers and sisters permission for us to be married. I think it would be very fitting for you to give me away." She gave Georg a look of approval and love as she said that.

It was nice that everyone hear was looking forward to the wedding.

 **I am a bit more confident about writing these characters than the first time I posted this story, but I still** _ **really**_ **need some help, especially considering this is unbetaed.**

 **Some of you have probably heard my policy on reviews, but for those who have not, I really need** _ **honest**_ **reviews, especially for a multi – chapter story. Tell me what you have questions about, what you don't like, and what needs editing, please.**

 **Speaking of reviews, I really don't know how many of you that gave reviews last time are still interested but just in case, here's some responses.**

 **Guest: I'm glad you like the story. I will remove the note on the POV/Time changes in the beginning, but I will continue to put them in all my chapters, as I do that just as much for myself as I do for the readers. As for the ANs, it's ironic that one of the reasons I prefer public responses is so I can discuss the chapter/story with guests such as yourself. However, as I said before, if you don't like the ANs, don't read them.**

 **BlossomsofEdelweiss: Glad you like the flashbacks and the Captain playing with his children, because there are going to be a lot of flashbacks and family moments in this story.**

 **Augieannie: I'm glad you think my writing is good, although feel free to tell me if there's anything I need to fix, do more of, or do less of.**

 **I'm glad you like the rings scene, although that doesn't really surprise me. : ) Personally, my favorite SOM scenes are the "family scenes" where Maria and Georg show their love for each other and the children, so I'm going to show a fair amount of those. However, I am aware that many of the readers prefer the "just couple" moments, so I'm going to try to do a balance between the two. (And of course many scenes, like the one with the rings, are more suited for "just Maria and Georg" anyway.)**


	4. Separation

Separation

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **, and the idea for the flashbacks come from watching (and reading) OUAT.**

Georg sat down for breakfast with a smile on his face. Things had been going so well in the last few days. He had fallen in love again and was officially engaged to marry her. His children were pleased, more than pleased, actually, with his choice. Some of them would actually participate in the wedding. Max approved as well and agreed to serve as a chaperone again. Yes, things in Georg's life were finally becoming satisfactory again.

Kurt was already sitting at the table, of course. "Will we eat soon, Father? I can already smell the sausages."

Georg chuckled. "So can I, son. But you know we need to wait for the others."

The others arrived at the table soon enough, though. Dressed as the proper young men and women they should be. Even Maria was on time for a change. She also looked beautiful in the green – and – white dress she'd worn to the party. Georg took a moment to appreciate her beauty, especially her nice, long legs. Legs that would feel great wrapped around him when – He blocked his thought process for the moment. NOT in front of the children. He forced his mind to concentrate on other things. Like why Maria was here so early. "What is the occasion?" he teased her as she sat down. "I can't remember a single time you've been on time for a meal since you've been here!"

Maria shrugged. "You'll find out soon enough," she replied, sounding like she was teasing him back.

Georg grumbled a little at this. He didn't like it when people withheld information from him. Still, Maria's ideas were always so good…maybe he could tolerate another surprise from her. As long as she told it soon, that is.

"I think we should all go to church this morning," Maria announced to everyone before she even sat down. "We should probably leave as soon as possible," she added in a firm voice that reminded him of his "Captain Voice."

Georg didn't know why it surprised him _that_ would be her plan for today. It was Sunday. Maria went to church every Sunday since she'd come to the villa, and of course, she left _before_ she ate breakfast. In the last two weeks before she'd left, Maria had even taken Marta and Gretl with her. Georg had no problem with that at all.

It was just that…attending church _himself_? He wasn't sure if he was ready for that yet. For a very long time he'd been angry at God. Now, Georg was beginning to realize the blessings God had still given him. His children were still healthy. And now he had Maria, who was a blessing to them all. He wasn't furious at God anymore, Georg realized. Maria's grace before meals didn't bother him at all. But did that mean he was ready to praise God with a bunch of worshippers? No, definitely not. Especially if they had to leave before they ate breakfast.

Still, Georg would have to explain this carefully. This was obviously important to Maria. Besides, it pleased Georg that she was no longer acting like an employee. He knew it was something with she'd been struggling. When it came to the children, she acted like their mother and was perfectly comfortable telling him when he'd done something wrong, just like she always had. But when it came to other decisions, she seemed uncertain with her new role. This was also the _first_ time Maria had called him by his first name.

"Maria," he began slowly. "I'm happy you're finally becoming comfortable enough to call me 'Georg.' And I think attending church is a marvelous idea for _you_ and any of the children who wish to go. But for me…well, I'd rather not today. I'm anxious to eat good breakfast and read more of _Moby Dick_ today." Georg read his favorite book every Sunday morning.

Maria shook her head sharply. "Church is important. Much more important than a book. Even if it's your favorite one. And we can all have a nice brunch when we return."

"I'm not disagreeing with that," Georg replied, as his voice began to rise. "I just don't think it's the place for me right now."

"God welcomes everyone in His House. Of course it's the right place for you," Maria told him, her voice rising as well. "You must come with us."

"Maria _,_ " he said firmly. "Don't tell me that _._ I know you believe in honesty and that's what I believe in, too. And honestly, _I'm not_ ready to go to church yet."

Maria's face looked angrier and angrier. But suddenly she looked around at the breakfast table, noticing the children looking at them with wide eyes. She sighed. "I see. I hope you don't mind having the wedding at the church."

Georg smiled at her. "Of course not," he told her gently. "That's different." Then he looked at all the children, who were still staring at him and Maria uncertainly. "Would any of you like to go to church with Maria?"

Marta and Gretl immediately ran into Maria's arms.

Kurt shook his head. "I'm _not_ waiting any longer than I have to eat." He stared at the food on the table, like waiting this long was enough torture.

Louisa shook her head firmly. "No, thank you."

Liesl, Friedrich, and Brigitta all thought about it for several minutes before Friedrich announced he would stay here. Liesl sat down at the breakfast table with a smile on her face, silently expressing her decision. And Brigitta finally calmly stated, "I will go to church," and rose to join Maria and the other two girls.

Georg quickly explained to Franz that he was to drive them to the church, and the rest of their family sat down to breakfast.

OOOOOOOOOO

After breakfast, Georg tried to concentrate on _Moby Dick_ that morning, but it was more difficult than he expected to do so. Usually his favorite book was a faithful companion that allowed him to block everything out for a couple of hours. Today, Georg was acutely aware that Maria wasn't nearby, and it was distracting him. It was the first time they'd been separated since they'd become engaged.

It was rather ridiculous when he thought about it. It wasn't as if he needed Maria to function or something. Georg, and the villa, were fine for a few hours, just like the last time she'd attended church. But since they became engaged, he noticed how much more he enjoyed having her around all the time. He was used to hearing her voice in the background. He was used to knowing she was available if he wanted to talk to her or kiss her. Georg shook his head and returned to his book. Enough of these absurd thoughts! Maria would be home soon, and he was too old to be bothered by this nonsense. He pushed himself out of his desk and relaxed on the navy blue sofa. That should help.

But Georg only read another page before his mind wandered again. He remembered the first time he'd left Agathe after he'd proposed to her.

" _Goodbye, sweetheart," he told her as he hugged her again. "We'll see each other again soon. Perhaps you could come to see_ me _?"_

" _Of course," Agathe replied, hugging him back so tightly her light green shawl wrapped around Georg as well. He loved the fact that she would miss him as much as he would miss her.  
_

 _Out of the corner of his eye, Georg saw Sir Whitehead shake his head at their display of intimacy, but Georg didn't care right now. Nor did he care about all the other people at the train station. He wasn't going to see Agathe for at least a couple of months. Possibly longer. He_ definitely _wanted to say goodbye to his fiancée properly. He picked up her beautiful, smooth hand, showing the new ring he'd chosen for her. One medium – sized diamond surrounded by two smaller diamonds. Then he gave her hand a lingering kiss. Her hand didn't taste nearly as good as her lips, but he still enjoyed touching her skin to his. "That ring looks wonderful on your beautiful hand," he told her as he caressed her hand and looked into her eyes again._

 _Agathe smiled and nodded. "I look forward to having more than just a ring."_

" _As do I," Georg agreed, as visions of her in a wedding dress danced in his head. Suddenly, the train whistled and he realized he was out of time. He gave Agathe one last hug and handed her back her shawl. The he climbed aboard the train. As she waved at him, Georg couldn't help but feel sad, even though he knew it was a weak emotion. He and Agathe were engaged, but they were still separating again. Georg hated to admit it, but he felt the pain of separation all the way home. Perhaps he should have kissed her on the lips after all, no matter what her father and society would say? After all, when would his lips touch hers again?_

Georg's mind drifted back to the present. Yes, he probably should have kissed Maria before she left, even if it _had_ been in front of the children. His children approved of him far more than Sir Whitehead had, and he and Maria hadn't even been in public when they'd parted earlier.

Still, he would see Maria a lot sooner than he'd seen Agathe after they were engaged. Georg needed to get over himself. This weakness was beneath him. Every Sunday he read from _Moby Dick_ and today would be no exception. He switched positions on the sofa again.

Still, ten minutes later Georg had read only two paragraphs of the book. Perhaps he should have gone to church with Maria and the children after all? Georg was sure he wouldn't be comfortable in the church, but it may have been better than this _._ As he continued to ponder, a horrible thought occurred to him. What if Maria no longer wished to marry him because he didn't have the same faith she did? She'd been quite angry at him when she left, after all. She probably wouldn't have liked a kiss anyway. He shouldn't have dismissed her desire to go to church so quickly. What if she thought he didn't respect her faith? Georg decided as soon as she arrived home, he would assure her how much he _did_ respect her faith. Admired it, even. Satisfied with his plan, he attempted to return to the world of _Moby Dick_ again.

Five minutes later, Georg realized he still couldn't focus on his favorite book. He remembered the _last time_ she'd left his villa. Just disappeared from his life. From all their lives. _She wouldn't do that again_ , Georg tried to convince himself. _She'd said it was a mistake_. But he had to admit, he felt a little insecure that she wasn't here right now. _She was only going to church. She took some of the children_ with _her. She'll be back soon,_ Georg told himself firmly. _But what if she changes her mind on marriage when she gets back?_

He suddenly realized _that_ was why he was so bothered by the fact that Maria was not home. He couldn't shake the feeling that she might leave him again, as unrealistic as it sounded. _That_ was why being separated from Maria today was more difficult than riding away from Agathe on that train. Finally, Georg put the book back on the shelf. Reading simply wasn't working today. Perhaps a glass of scotch might be better? He normally didn't drink in the morning but in desperate times…

OOOOOOOOOOOO

XXXXXXXX

Maria sat in the backseat of the car along with the three youngest girls since the Captain had instructed Franz to take them to the cathedral. None of them had said a word since they'd left. All they could hear was the butler grumbling and the engine running. Maria was too busy wondering why the Captain (or was it Georg now?) refused to attend church to speak to anyone. Didn't he understand how important it was? Ever since he'd apologized to her after the rowboat accident, the Captain had accepted Maria's ideas involving the children. Activities to do with them, things he should talk to them about, and things he _shouldn't_ discuss with them. Now when Maria wished to do something important as _whole family_ , he rejected it? Without even allowing her to explain it further?

They were about half way to the cathedral when Brigitta who was wearing a deep purple dress, tugged on Maria's dress. Maria immediately turned to face her, and Brigitta asked, "Were you and Father arguing this morning, Fraulein Maria? It sounded kind of like you were."

Maria sighed. "I suppose it was a little argument, Brigitta. Don't worry about it," she tried to reassure the girl. She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.

Gretl, dressed in lime green, looked at Maria with pleading eyes. "Are you still going to be our mother?"

Maria smiled and hugged Gretl the best she could when they were both sitting in a car. "Of course, sweetheart!"

"But if you and Father were arguing –" Gretl began, protesting.

"– Will you decide not to get married?" Marta finished softly, who was wearing bright pink, as usual.

All three girls looked right at Maria. She suddenly realized this was why the girls had been so quiet during their ride today. She should have reassured them right away and worried why the Captain didn't wish to go to church another time. "Girls, your father and I are _definitely_ still going to be married. And I will _definitely_ still become your mother. One little argument isn't going to change that." She chuckled and added, "No two people can agree on everything, least of all, your father and I."

The girls chatted on about their hair ribbons, shoes, and how beautiful the cathedral was after that. Brigitta mentioned she was eager to practice her Latin in the church. Franz's grumbling was much easier to ignore for the rest of the ride.

As they chattered, Maria briefly wondered if she had made too much of an issue out of their argument herself. It was, as she told the children, a _little_ argument. Had she really expected the Captain would agree with her on everything? It wasn't as if he'd had a problem with her or the children attending church, after all. He'd even arranged for their transportation. Obviously he respected her faith. Still, Maria wanted faith to be important to her fiancé, too. She was still a little upset he hadn't come with them. That _all_ of her new family hadn't come.

For now though, Maria resolved to pay attention to the girls. "I'm glad I have this new ribbon," Marta commented, showing her new pink ribbon. "It goes perfectly with this dress!"

Maria nodded. "Yes, Marta, it makes you look even prettier."

Marta beamed.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Kyrie Eleison…" Maria heard the nuns' choir sing "Lord Have Mercy." The music lifted her heart, as it always did, and she sang along. But for the first time since she'd attended church in weeks, she didn't feel conflicted. In the past, when the choir began singing, Maria was uncertain whether she belonged with them or with Marta and Gretl. Today, she knew she belonged with Marta, Gretl, and Brigitta.

OOOOOOOOOO

Maria's Latin had improved drastically in the last few months. Ironic that she learned more Latin at the Von Trapps than she did in postulant training. Therefore, she understood everything that the bishop was reading. The Prodigal Son. For several minutes, she became frustrated again. This was the perfect message for her Captain to listen to if only he were here. Why didn't he listen to her this morning…?

But as Maria continued to scold him in head, Gretl suddenly climbed into her lap. Maria hugged the girl close, briefly wondering how she thought she could leave these children. As she continued to listen to the bishop, Maria realized she might have more in common with the prodigal son than her fiancé did. After all, she ran away from her job and her _family_. And when she returned, they had every right to tell Maria to leave, but instead they welcomed her back. Like the prodigal son.

Maria put that thought aside and focused on the choir's beautiful chanting.

Several minutes later, the bishop began speaking again, and Maria's mind wandered despite herself. She wondered if she'd been too tough on her Captain. After all, the father in the prodigal son waited until his son came home. He didn't try to force the son before he was ready. Had Maria been trying to force her fiancé before he was ready? Perhaps. After all, her Captain had tried to explain that to her. _"I'm just not ready yet,"_ he told her. And if he had said yes, _only_ to please Maria, was that really better? He would have been pretending with her, which was something Maria _never_ wanted him to do. They both believed in honesty, after all.

Maria sighed as the choir began singing "Angus Dei." She was going to have to be patient with her Captain and his faith. She hoped she could do that. Patience wasn't exactly one of her strengths. Meanwhile, she joined in singing "Lamb of God," and prepared herself to receive Holy Communion.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

After mass ended, Maria instructed the girls to stay close and hold hands, so they wouldn't lose each other in the large cathedral. Brigitta commented she understood most of the mass today, so her Latin must be better than she'd thought, as they prepared to exit. Maria told her that was wonderful. Gretl looked around the cathedral and asked "Will you and Father be married _here_? It's so pretty."

Maria smiled. "I hope so."

A woman who appeared to be in her fifties walked by. "You must be the young lady who I heard about from the newspaper. The one who will be marrying into the Von Trapps. It's wonderful to see the children at mass again. I remember this one," the lady smiled at Brigitta, "from several years ago. They've needed a mother for so long."

Maria beamed, happy that this lady approved of their plans. "I'm happy to be their mother. To all of them." Then she and the girls continued on their way out of the cathedral.

Before walking very far, another woman stopped them. She was younger than the previous lady; perhaps in her thirties, and something about her reminded Maria of Baroness Schrader. "So _you_ are the young lady marrying Captain Von Trapp. I hope you're planning to go to Confession soon."

Maria bristled that this woman would say something like that, especially in front of the young girls. "Whether I go to confession or not is none of your business, ma'am," she told the lady firmly. But the woman had already disappeared. Maria shook her head. She knew that some people wouldn't approve of the marriage. She and her Captain had discussed it already. But for someone to bring it up in church, in front of the children…She resisted the urge to shout after that woman, and continuing guiding Marta, Gretl, and Brigitta out of the cathedral.

Suddenly Maria couldn't wait to be home. She missed her Captain.

OOOOOOOOOOO

The girls climbed out of the automobile and ran inside. Maria knew she should do the same. It looked like it was about to rain any minute. Besides, she was eager to see her Captain again. But as they approached the estate, she had become nervous. The question that the girls asked her earlier ran through Maria's mind. " _Would they decide not to get married because of the argument?"_ Maria certainly wouldn't, but would the Captain? After all, she _had_ tried to force him to go to church this morning. What if he refused to accept her apology? What if he decided Maria wasn't worth the trouble she caused, like almost everyone else had?

Maria shook her head firmly. _He told me he loves me. I need to believe in that._ So she finally went inside, whispering the refrain of "I have confidence."

As soon as she saw her Captain, Maria knew she shouldn't have worried. The look on his face showed he wasn't angry at her at all, much less planning to send her away again. And Maria was so happy that she threw herself into his arms and kissed him, not caring who was watching.


	5. The Mother - In - Law

The Mother – in – Law

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **. And the format for the flashbacks isn't really mine, either. It comes from watching so much OUAT.**

 **I'd like to dedicate this chapter to the memory of Sister Mary O'Donald, a nun from my childhood who reminds me a of the Sound of Music's RM.**

As they kissed, Maria noticed the bitter taste of liquor on her Captain's tongue. Maria supposed she should be offended by the fact that he was drinking on a Sunday morning. But instead, she found the flavor in his mouth rather exciting. So exciting, in fact, that Maria pulled his head back toward hers for another kiss as they finally drew apart.

The couple were just beginning to _really_ enjoy the second kiss when they heard Max cough loudly behind them. "I hear it's almost time for lunch. And I, for one, would like to eat as soon as possible. So if you two could come into the dining room…" he grinned as he stood in front of them, obviously trying to make sure they did, in fact head for the dining room.

Maria felt her face heat up as she realized what Herr – Max, had just witnessed. "Yes, of course," she told him in a small voice.

The Captain, on the other hand, barked "Max!" like he wondered why his best friend was still here. He shook his head as the three of them began walking to the dining room. "Max, why don't you sit down," the Captain commanded. "Maria and I will be along in a minute."

Max paused. "Well, Georg I don't know if that's a good idea. Considering what I just witnessed – "

"We're not going to do anything in a couple of minutes!" the Captain snapped. "Now run along. I know how eager you are to get to the dining room, anyway."

Max fingered his mustache, considering the idea for a second, before he finally disappeared.

"So how was the mass?" her Captain asked as sound as Max was gone.

"Wonderful," Maria replied, loving the fact that he was interested. "Even more than usual. And it made me realize something. I was – wrong," she struggled to force the word "wrong" out of her mouth. "To insist that you come to church was you specifically said you weren't ready. I'm sorry."

Her Captain turned to face her and his mouth dropped open in mock shock. "Did I just hear you admit that _you_ were _wrong_? Completely? So I won the argument this time?" Despite the obvious teasing in his voice, her Captain's face looked incredibly smug.

Maria shrugged, moving her arms and the rest of her body as she did so. "Don't get used to it," she teased him back. "I'm sure it won't happen very often."

"We'll see," her Captain replied, looking even smugger than before. In fact, he looked suspiciously like a barnyard cat who had just caught all the mice in the area. Then he wrapped his arm around her waist and they continued walking to the dining room. "Seriously, Maria, I may not share your deep faith, but I want you to know how much I admire yours. You're welcome to go to church and take the children with you anytime. And _of course_ we'll have the wedding at the cathedral. And I'll tell the cook to keep serving fish _every_ Friday from now on.*"

Maria nodded, her heart filling with even more love for him. "Thank you, Captain," she told sincerely as they entered the dining room together. The rest of the family was already there.

"Georg, Mara. Georg," he told her firmly as they both sat down at the heads of the table.

"Finally!" Kurt groaned as they sat down.

"I was beginning to think I would have to go get you again," Max added.

OOOOOOOOOOO

The next couple of days passed without much trouble, although Maria was still uncomfortable with the way all of the servants called her "ma'am." But spending time with her new family and knowing that they _would_ be hers forever made it all worth it. Her Captain and the children seemed to agree, as Maria had never seen them happier than they'd been in the last few days.

The children didn't even seem to mind studying in the morning, because it allowed them to spend more time with their future mother. Brigitta had recently discovered Shakespeare and Liesl was helping her sister with some of the more sophisticated English he used. Louisa, Fiedrich, and Kurt had begun a competition to see who could catch the most bugs. Maria agreed to the activity so long as they kept the bugs in closed jars and used the bugs to study biology in the morning.

"Look what I caught yesterday evening, Fraulein Maria!" Louisa commented excitedly showing her a gar with a brown spider about two inches long. "I found out that these kind of spiders eat only ants," she added as she flipped through a book about bugs.

"That's nothing," Kurt protested smugly. He pulled out a jar of his own. "I caught a centipede!"

"That's wonderful, Kurt," Maria replied pleasantly. "Now go find some information about centipedes. I'm sure Louisa would share hers with you." Louisa started to make a face, but a stern look from Maria made her reconsider. Kurt happily sat next to his sister as they began studying their creatures. Fiedrich was already studying what appeared to be a jar of ants.

Meanwhile, Marta was practicing her reading with a book of _Mother Goose Rhymes_. "Little Boy Blue," she read in her soft voice. "Come blow your horn. The sheep's in the mee – mad – "

Maria smiled as the little girl attempted to sound out the longer word. "Meadow," she whispered gently.

Marta smiled and continued reading, "The sheep's in the meadow the cow's in the corn."

Maria was just about to turn her attention to Gretl, who was busily practicing the letters she'd learned this summer, when there was a knock at the door. "Hello Father!" the children called out cheerfully as he opened the door.

"Look at my letters, Father!" Gretl exclaimed pointing to her piece of paper, which was covered with rows of Ls, Ms, and Ns.

"That's wonderful," the Captain told his youngest daughter who beamed at her father's praise.

The other children began attempting to tell him about their progress as well, but unfortunately, they all tried to speak at once.

"I caught – "

"Did you know – "

"Shakespeare said – "

"Enough!" the Captain finally barked. All of the children stopped immediately, looking slightly horrified. "Now, I would love to hear what you've been studying, but you have to speak one at a time," he added a little more gently. Maria was proud of him for adding that second part. "But first, I'd like to borrow your mother." They all nodded.

With that, the Captain led Maria to the hallway, and she enjoyed the feeling of his hand on hers. "This just came in the mail for you," he told her, as he handed Maria a letter.

"Thank you," she replied. "Oh! It's from the Reverend Mother!" She opened it quickly and read it. "She says she'd like to see both of us tomorrow morning. At 10:00AM, to discuss our wedding. Is that alright with you?" she asked a little nervously, remembering his reaction that they attend mass together last Sunday.

"Of course," her Captain agreed automatically. "As I've told you, I don't mind having the wedding at the Cathedral," he added, looking right into her eyes.

Maria's heart melted at his words and the way he was staring at her. So she reached up and gave him a kiss. They both enjoyed the feel of each other's lips and their hands caressing for a minute or two, but then the Captain drew back, gesturing to the children behind the door. Maria nodded, realizing how much more embarrassing it would be for the children to see them kissing like that than Max. So they both returned to the schoolroom and each child eagerly explained his or her lesson to their father.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next morning, Maria and her Captain left after instructing Liesl to help her siblings with their studies and Max to not consume _all_ of the food and liquor while they were gone. Maria smiled as she hummed "Something Good" as they drove to the abbey. She looked forward to her Captain and the Reverend Mother meeting, and she was particularly excited to discuss their wedding plans.

Her Captain smiled and nodded as she began crooning the song out loud without thinking. Maria's heart swelled, as it often did around him. It was amazing to finally have someone in her life who encouraged her to sing whenever she wanted. So she smiled back at him and continued singing the entire piece.

When she'd finished, the abbey was already in view. "Oh, I do wonder which dates she has for us to choose from. I hope whenever it is, it's very soon," Maria commented excitedly.

The Captain's eyes darkened a little as they looked at her. "Definitely. Soon," he agreed.

"Thank you for coming with me," Maria told him sincerely, looking at him straight in the eye as he parked the car.

"Of course," he replied. "Well. It must be time to, ah, go inside," he commented.

Maria looked at him closely. Was he nervous? To the average person, she was certain her captain appeared perfectly calm. After all his body was steady, unlike Maria who fidgeted when she was uneasy. His face showed no hint of a problem. Even his voice probably sounded confident to most people. But to Maria, his voice reminded her of the night he'd come to her after he'd broken his engagement with Elsa. There was a slight hesitation in his speech although most people wouldn't notice it. "You don't have anything to worry about you know," Maria assured him gently. "The Reverend Mother told me she's looking forward to meeting you in her letter."

"I'm not worried!" her Captain snapped back.

"All right then," Maria nodded, her voice not as cheerful as it normally was. "Shall we go in?" She was a little hurt that he wouldn't talk to her, especially considering he had confided in her before. Like last week when he told her about his troublesome dreams.**

The Captain sighed and finally spoke. "It's just, I remember meeting Agathe's mother for the first time. She didn't say a lot, but the way she stared at me…like she was judging me. She definitely didn't think I was good enough for her daughter. And I know how the Reverend Mother is like a mother to you. You're really hoping that we will enjoy each other's company. I'll try my best, but I don't know if I'll be good enough for her, either."

Maria smiled and looked at him in the eyes. Her heart swelled that he had confided in her about his concerns, after all. She attempted to reassure him a little more. "I promise you, you'll be fine. The Reverend Mother has always had a lot of respect for you. She told me so when she sent me to your house." Maria moved closer to him so she could put her arms on his shoulders and then continued, "And she approves of you and me together. She would have never have told me to return to you if she didn't."

Her Captain smiled and pecked her on the lips. "Thank you. Shall we go in?" he asked as he opened his car door and then hers as well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Maria rang the bell and a smiling nun whom Maria called "Sister Sophia" opened the gate for them. "We have an appointment with the Reverend Mother," his fiancée told the sister eagerly. As the Sister led them to the Mother Abbess, Georg tried to convince himself that Maria was correct. The Reverend Mother had always treated him with respect in their correspondence. And if she didn't approve of him and Maria together, the Mother Abbess would never have told her to return to his home.

Still, Georg couldn't help but think about the first time he'd met Agathe's mother. _He'd been writing to Agathe causally for years, and more seriously for a few months since the war ended. Her father had finally agreed that Georg and Agathe could meet at the Whitehead Estate in England. Agathe was wonderful, of course. Fully woman and far more sophisticated than the fourteen – year – old girl he'd met when she christened his submarine. She wore her hair, which was significantly darker than he remembered, pinned up like a young lady and a proper gown. Yet Georg also knew from her letters that she had a wonderful mischievous streak. It showed a little as she smirked at him now as they all sat down to tea._

 _Agathe's father, Sir Whitehead, used this opportunity to interrogate Georg, which honestly, he had been warned in advance. Therefore he was able to skillfully answer every question, much to Agathe's father's frustration. But Agathe's mother was different. She didn't speak at all, but simply stared at him without smiling as she sipped her tea. He wouldn't admit to anyone at the time, but her mother's stares were much more uncomfortable than Sir Whitehead's difficult questions. Her mother acted as if she could see right inside Georg's mind._

Georg's mind shifted back into the present as he walked confidently into the Reverend Mother's office with Maria. He _refused_ to let this nervousness, this weakness, get to him. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder how much worse Maria's Reverend Mother might be than Agathe's. Maria had already told him the woman was skilled at understanding what was going through a person's thoughts. Would the Mother Abbess look at him and realize he wasn't as godly as she probably wished he was? Would she realize how much he lusted after Maria now and way before he should have? Would she realize how many women he'd taken to his bed before he was married? How would Maria react if this woman, whom she held in high esteem, didn't approve of him?

"Hello Reverend Mother," Maria's cheerful, excited voice interrupted his thoughts. "This is my fiancée, Captain von Trapp." Georg shook hands with the nun he'd heard so much about.

She appeared just as wise as Maria always claimed she was, but she also appeared pleased to meet him, shaking his hand with a warm smile. "Hello, Captain," she greeted him. "I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me." Then she gestured to another man, about Georg's age, dressed in a priest's black suit with a white collar, who Georg just realized was sitting next to her. "This is Father Klaus Fuchs, the bishop's secretary. He's here to assist in planning your wedding."

Maria nodded and greeted the man in her typical cheerful enthusiastic manner while Georg greeted the man politely. With that, they all sat down. Father Fuchs immediately began looking through his notes. "The bishop is available on September fourth," he offered, looking carefully at all three people.

Georg liked the idea of marrying Maria in a month, but he wasn't sure it was wise. Maria, it seemed, agreed with him, as she immediately shook her head. "Oh no, Father! There is no way I – I mean _we_ can be read that quickly. Especially considering we will be preparing for the children to return to school that weekend. No, the bishop must be available at another time."

Georg nodded in agreement. "What else is available?"

The Reverend Mother said nothing, but her smile showed she approved of their plan. Perhaps Georg had been worried for nothing, after all?

The priest nodded and returned to his notes. After several minutes, the man looked at the others again. "Bishop Schulz is available November 13th," he suggested.

Georg understood why the man might feel the need to offer a date that far in advance after their reaction to the previous one. But waiting over three months was unacceptable. For several reasons. "No, I am sorry, but there must be another day in between those two," he commanded.

The Reverend Mother gave Georg a look of soft disproval. It was unnerving, how such a gentle expression could somehow remind Georg of one of his schoolmasters after he'd been caught doing something wrong. "Now Captain, you know waiting is a virtue, don't you? Is there a _reason_ why a hasty wedding is so necessary?" she asked pointedly, look between him and Maria as she did so.

So the woman was going to be like Agathe's mother, after all, considering she seemed to want them to wait _forever._ Although at least the Reverend Mother had the decency to ask what she was thinking. Extremely insulting questions, but questions nonetheless. "No, of course not!" he protested. "I would never – "

" – Exactly," Maria finished, sounding insulted herself. "The Captain would never behave inappropriately towards me. There are a _lot_ of reasons why we must have an earlier date." Despite how uncomfortable this situation was, Georg's heart soared at the way his Maria defended him to the Reverend Mother.

"The truth is, I am a bit _concerned_ about the political situation right now, and I believe it would be prudent if the wedding was earlier than that," he told the Reverend Mother and the priest firmly. That was _one_ of the reasons for an earlier wedding, anyway.

The priest nodded and immediately began looking for other dates. The Reverend Mother appeared incredibly apologetic as she focused on Georg and Maria. "I am sorry. I should never have considered that. I know what kind of man you are, Captain. You are a fine man for our Maria to be joining her life with." Georg felt all his worries about the Reverend Mother float away with that statement. Maria had been correct about the other woman.

Maria beamed with happiness as she sat next to him. "Thank you, Mother." Georg felt his affection for the older woman grow even more since she'd made Maria so delighted.

Finally the priest interrupted them. "I think…yes…Bishop Schulz is available October first."

Georg nodded. Two months was ideal. "That sounds acceptable."

Maria nodded as well. "October first is a good date," she agreed.

Father Fuchs wrote something down again. "Fine," he replied as he smiled at both of them. "I shall in form the bishop. Now do you have any idea of the scriptures you would like to use?"

As they turned to discussing religious matters, Georg suddenly felt out of place. For the first time, he noticed the walls were covered with images of the Blessed Mother, crucifixes, and other religious figures. But as Maria began to speak in her excited manner, he reminded himself that he had accepted it would be a part of their ceremony when he agreed to have the wedding at the Cathedral. Anything that was this important to Maria was essential to him as well, after all.

"I was hoping to use something from the Book of Tobit!***" he heard Maria exclaim. "The marriage of Tobiah and Sarah, perhaps? Or maybe the passage when they drive the demon away? Or the wedding feast and the blessing from Tobiah's father, Tobit?"

Father Fuchs and the Reverend Mother immediately opened a Bible and began searching through the passages that Maria had apparently suggested. Eventually, the priest chose a particular scripture and made another note. "Now do you have anyone in mind to stand with you during the ceremony?" he continued.

Georg nodded firmly, as did Maria. This was something he was much more comfortable with discussing. "Yes. The gentleman who was the best man at my first wedding has already agreed to perform the duty."

"Liesl, the oldest girl, will be standing with me," Maria added.

"Wonderful," Father Fuchs nodded, and the Reverend Mother smiled in approval as well.

"And of course you will need altar boys," the priest continued. "Do you know someone who will perform _that_ duty, or should Bishop Schulz and I find some appropriate youngsters?"

Georg paused for a moment. He had forgotten that they would need altar boys for this wedding. The Captain wished he could say his own sons would perform the duty, but he was aware they were too old. Being out of contact with the church for many years, Georg wasn't sure who might have boys at the right age who could do so. Still, he refused to lose control of his own wedding more than he already had. Surely there must be _one_ friend that had children the right age who understood the duties of an altar boy? "I am certain I can find someone," he told the priest firmly.

The priest nodded and wrote something down again. "Thank you. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Of course, it was a pleasure meeting you as well," Georg echoed.

"Absolutely," Maria agreed, who positively glowed with happiness. Joy filled up inside Georg's soul that he'd helped make that.

"Maria, about the night before the ceremony" the Reverend Mother suddenly spoke after remaining quiet for several minutes. "You should come here so that the Sisters and I can help you prepare."

Maria looked conflicted between the idea of spending one more night with the nuns she was so close to and the idea of spending another night away from Georg's family. _Their_ family he corrected himself. But as Georg continued to think about that, Maria finally replied, "Yes, I'll do that, Reverend Mother."

The Reverend Mother smiled sweetly in response.

"I am afraid I must leave now," Father Fuchs commented, putting all of his notes away. "I promised someone I would hear a confession in another ten minutes."

Maria suddenly stopped and stared at the priest. "Confession? Do you have time for another after that one, Father?" Then she turned and whispered in Georg's ear, "You don't mind leaving without me, do you, Captain? I really should speak to a priest how I ran from you last week."

The way her breath tickled on his neck led to thoughts that were _completely_ inappropriate at this time and place. "If you call me by my first name, I'll be happy to have Franz come back for you when you're ready," he whispered back to her, have teasing, half serious.

By the look on Maria's face, her thoughts were leading to inappropriate places as well. But she only nodded and whispered, "Georg," back to him. The urge to cover Maria's neck with kisses was grew so strong he could practically taste her skin.

Goodness he needed to leave this room as soon as possible. Georg hated to erase all the respect the Reverend Mother had for him. "Well it was a pleasure, as I've said before," he told both the priest the nun as quickly and then disappeared, while Maria planned to stay for her confession.

* **See my story "That Thing About Fish" for more details on this.**

 ****See "Nightmares and Forgiveness" for details.**

 *****If you have time and don't mind doing so, you consider reading the Book of Tobit. It can be found in the Catholic Bible. The couple in that Book remind me of M & G.**

 **Thanks for all the reviews from the last chapter. Please keep them coming. Here's some responses.**

 **Sherylhanlon: Thank you. I agree, writing arguments between fanfiction couples (especially with personalities like M &G ) makes them more believable.**

 **Sandlilane: Thank you.**

 **Bloomandgrow: Glad you liked the theme in this chapter. Their different perspectives on faith is something they** _ **really**_ **should deal with pretty early in their relationship.**

 **I do enjoy writing about Maria's faith, and it's an easy thing for me to write about. (It probably doesn't surprise you that I'm a Catholic. :) )**

 **From what I can tell from the movie, Maria is by nature a pretty pushy person. And in her defense, it usually works well for her at the von Trapps. (The rowboat argument, getting the children to sing, getting Georg to sing again, etc.) But faith is, as you have said, not really something you can be pushy about. She's got to learn that and deal with it.**

 **Sakurapanda: Thank you.**

 **Augieannie: Yes, it's probably their most obvious potential source of conflict.**


	6. Clothes

Clothes

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **. And the format for the flashbacks in this story comes from watching (and reading) OUAT.**

Now that they had a date for the wedding, the Captain and Maria knew there were a lot more preparations to make. They agreed the next thing to should be to choose dresses and suits for the ceremony, and made plans to do so the following day. Since most of the children needed new outfits as well, they would all go together. They had spent much of dinnertime discussing their plans and were still talking about them afterwards.

"I hope I get one that twirls!" Gretl exclaimed, spinning around the drawing room where they were all discussing their plans. She fingered the blue dress she was currently wearing. "This dress doesn't twirl very well. Can you make sure to get one that twirls, Fraulein Maria?"

"We'll do our best, Gretl," Maria replied, gently.

"Gretl why don't you sit down? You're going to knock something over, spinning around like that," Friedrich lectured his youngest sister.

"Yes, Gretl, please sit down," the Captain added, a bit too sternly for Maria's taste, but at least he smiled at the girl when she finally sat down on the floor again.

"Do _we_ havve to go shopping tomorrow?" Kurt asked, almost whining. "I can think of a lot of things I'd rather do."

"Yes, Kurt, I'm afraid you need to," Maria told him gently. "You've grown quite a bit this past summer." As she talked she glanced at the bottom of his short pants, which were becoming shorter all the time now.

"I understand your attitude towards shopping, Kurt, believe me," the Captain told his son. "But I don't want to hear that tone from you again, do you understand?" he looked Kurt right in the eye as he said this. "You will respect what Maria and I say."

"Yes, sir," Kurt replied, looking at the floor.

"Now I want you all ready to go by 10:00AM," the Captain commanded. Kurt and Louisa brightened immediately at that, no doubt realizing that their father was telling them they were skipping their studying time the next day. "We will all have a busy day tomorrow."

Friedrich looked at his father strangely. "Does that mean you'll be coming with us, Father?"

Maria wondered the same thing. Remembering his shopping trips with the Baroness, she was pretty sure he was no fonder of the activity than Kurt was. She had assumed he would stay home now that the Baroness wasn't forcing him to go.

The Captain nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid so. I already have a uniform that fits perfectly for the wedding, but someone needs to make certain you and Kurt are properly fitted for formal suits." Maria barely heard him after he'd admitted he already had a uniform for the wedding. What was he planning on wearing? Was it something she had already seen, like his tuxedo, or something completely different? Images of her Captain in different uniforms appeared in her mind, one after another. Whatever he wore, she was sure he'd look handsome, she couldn't wait to see it.

"Well, just make sure you stay on the men's side of the store," Liesl warned her father slyly. "We wouldn't want the groom to see the bride's wedding dress too early would we?"

The Captain grinned just as slyly at his oldest daughter. "Of course not." Maria chuckled, loving the easy affection that existed between the two of them now. But she also made sure to keep a close eye on him tomorrow. She knew how difficult it was too keep her Captain from finding out things that were best as surprises.

"Are you coming with us too, Uncle Max?" Liesl turned to her uncle, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during most of this exchange. "It would help to have someone else to keep Father from seeing Fraulein Maria's wedding dress."

Herr – Max laughed. "I'm sure it would Liesl, and I know I'm supposed to be a good little chaperone and everything, but I have some business that absolutely _must_ be taken care of tomorrow."

The Captain shook his head at his friend. "Of course you do," he said dryly. "You always have 'business' when we plan to go shopping."

"Now, Georg, you know I'm a busy man who's taking time out of my life to help you by chaperoning. Therefore, I need to do _my business_ while you're going to be in a store, surrounded by plenty of people."

"Of course, Max," the Captain agreed, dryly again, shaking his head.

Maria noticed Gretl had started to yawn after she finally finished twirling. "Come on," she patted Gretl and Marta's backs. "You need to get to sleep. Your father is correct, you are going to have a busy day tomorrow."

Marta and Gretl grumbled and pouted, but they still dutifully followed Maria up the stairs. The other children did as well, knowing this was supposed to be "quiet time."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day, _most_ of the family was ready on time. The only ones who were late were Louisa and Brigitta, who were in the middle of an argument about who should be first in their bathroom for at least ten minutes. Maria eventually broke it up, sending Louisa to use the bathroom in her governess's room, which of course made Maria late as well. The Captain dealt with it in a much better manner than he had in the past. He simply sighed at all three of them and said, "Try to be on time tomorrow," as they all sled into their places for breakfast.

After they finished breakfast, they were ready to set out. Liesl promised her Uncle Max that she would give him a report on what went on at the clothing store as he headed out to whatever business he intended to do today.

Maria had to admit she was a bit intimidated when they stopped in front of Salsburg's most prestigious formal wear store. She wasn't used to setting a _foot_ in places like this, much buying things from them. Still, Maria knew things were going to be different now. Besides, what other shop sold all of the clothes they needed in one place?

"Hello, Captain," the sales clerk greeted cheerfully them all from behind the counter. She was a young woman, not much older than Maria, with long hair that was slightly darker. "What can I do to help you today?"

"My fiancée needs to choose a wedding dress," the Captain replied, gently pushing Maria forward proudly. The sales clerk examined Maria for a moment, looking quite critical before she nodded. "And my girls need gowns and dresses as well," he continued, after staring back at the clerk even more critically. "I will assist the boys in finding something as well."

The clerk's eyes lit up, probably excited over the prospect of making such a large sale today. "Of course, Captain. Feel free to look around," she told the entire group.

The Captain told Fiedrich and Kurt to follow him to the other side of the store. Marta immediately spotted a soft silk pink dress with lace on the end and began silently stroking it. Gretl took a few more moments before she found dresses she decided would certainly "twirl." Louisa sighed and sat down on a nearby bench with a bored look on her face. Maria did her best to keep her eye on the children as she began causally examining different women's white gowns. _That one is too lacey,_ she thought to herself. _This one's neckline is too low. This one isn't all white._

Liesl, who had been keeping a firm eye one her father to make sure he didn't see too much, suddenly spoke to Maria. "If you can't find anything you like there, you can order your gown. Just look in these magazines," she pulled out several magazines which had been sitting on the counter. "And tell the clerk what you would like."

Maria's eyes widened at the idea, of having a wedding gown designed _just for her._ A part of her thought it was too much, but it was true she couldn't seem to find something she liked that was available here now. And Liesl seemed so eager to look through the magazines with her. Besides, it would be far easier to avoid the Captain finding the dress this way.

So Maria nodded and sat down on a nearby bench with Liesl. "So what kind of fabric would you like?" the girl asked, opening one of the books. "There's silk, satin, chiffon, velvet, or a combination of them."

Maria shrugged not sure if she would be comfortable in _any_ of those fabrics, she was so unused to them. But then she looked over at Marta, who was still stroking the pink silk dresses. It looked as if _that_ fabric might feel nice. Maria thought it would be nice to have a fabric that would make Marta more likely to cuddle to her. _And what about the Captain?_ Maria added, looking over at her fiancé, who was showing his sons different suit options. She liked the idea of buying something that might encourage him to rub his hands on her. "I think – the silk would – be nice," she told Liesl trying to sound nonchalant as she daydreamed of her Captain running his hands all over her in her wedding dress.

Liesl nodded approvingly and made a mark next to the silk fabric. "Now would you like lace on the ends, perhaps? Or pearls sewn into the dress?" She flipped the page and showed different designs of lace. Some were big, others were small and delicate. There were also small pearls of various shapes to choose from. Maria admired them for several minutes, but she eventually decided she felt more comfortable in a simpler dress. She decided on a simple veil as well.

When they finished Maria turned to Liesl. "Now what about _you_? Do you think you can find something here, or would you like to make your own design as well?"

Liesl's eyes lit up at the prospect of designing her own gown. "Do think Father would allow it? For me to design my own gown, like a real lady?"

Maria smiled at the girl's eagerness. "I think your father realizes you've grown up quite a bit this summer." She reached over and squeezed Liesl's hand affectionately. "And he's already agreed that you would stand up with us, after all. I think it's acceptable for you to choose something for yourself."

Liesl immediately began examining another magazine, this one for regular gowns. "I think I'd like to use plain white rather than blue, yellow, or green," she commented. "I think it would make me appear grown – up, don't you?"

"Of course," Maria agreed automatically, knowing how important for Liesl to be considered "grown – up."

"And I think I'd like some lace, too," she added turning the page of the magazine. "Like that," she pointed to the picture of the bigger laces. "It would make the white dress a little prettier. In fact, I might like the dress to be covered in lace!"

At the mention of "lace" Marta had come over to peek over Maria's shoulder. "That sounds really pretty, Liesl. Do you think I could have a dress covered in lace, too?"

Liesl's face fell for a second at having a dress so similar to her younger sister. Then she brightened again. "Of course, Marta. I know how much you like pretty things." Maria nodded approvingly at Liesl that she allowed Marta to have what she wanted as well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, Georg fitted Friedrich and Kurt to nice formal, grey suits and black shoes. Friedrich admitted he liked it, as the outfit made him appear more "grown – up." He stood as tall as he could as he could after he finished buttoning everything, admiring himself as he did so. "I think it is a good one, don't you, Father? I _really_ like that it's long pants. Then everyone there will know I'm old enough to walk Fraulein Maria down the aisle."

Georg smiled at his son and nodded his head, wondering when his oldest son had grown up so much. Standing before him was a _young man_ , rather a boy. A boy who would soon be fifteen years old. "Yes, Friedrich," he added, still smiling.

As Friedrich returned to the changing room, and Kurt began to complain about trying on _his_ grey suit, Georg peeked over at the others on the other side of the room again. He had to admit, he was _little_ disappointed that he could no longer see Maria looking at wedding dresses. He was aware that grooms weren't supposed to see their bride's dresses, but Georg had always had such an intense desire to _know everything_. He told himself it didn't matter. After all, Maria would look gorgeous in anything she wore, and he usually liked her surprises. Besides, it was possible that he could find out more about the dress later.

However, Georg truly enjoyed seeing the way all of his daughters were now surrounding Maria, who was sitting on one of the bench with a couple of design magazines. Even Louisa, who had shown how bored she was with the shop as soon as they arrived, was peeking over Liesl's shoulder and nodding or shaking her head. Maria was certain to pay attention to each girl's idea before she or Liesl wrote something down or turned a page. Georg's heart swelled at how well his Maria was able to make each child feel special at something as simple and complicated as shopping for dresses.

He remembered a shopping trip Agathe had once assembled when Liesl and Louisa were only six and three. Liesl had come home with a bright blue dress that twirled, complete with blue hair bows and a parasol, while Louisa had preferred a simple brown dress with no accessories. Later that night, Agathe explained what had happened at the store as they prepared for bed.

" _Liesl was so excited when we arrived at the store. You know she loves pretty things. It took her forever to decide which dress she wanted. A blue dress that twirled? A green dress with lace? A pink dress that had soft fabric?" Agathe shook her head and sighed but Georg could see the twinkles in her eyes that showed how much she loved it. There were few things Agathe loved more than doing things with the children. "Meanwhile, Louisa complained that she'd rather be playing with Friedrich than looking at 'boring dresses.' She threw a tantrum, of course, but she eventually got over it and was happy with that brown dress. She says it reminded her of her brother's clothes." Agathe began unpinning her long light brown hair as she finished talking._

 _Georg had been taking off his dark green suit coat, but he passed to admire Agathe's gorgeous silky hair as she began brushing it. "Oh, Georg how is it that they're both so different? And even Fiedrich and Kurt are different. Fiedrich so much more serious than Kurt is." It was_ so nice _that Agathe knew their children so well. She was so much warmer than the other aristocratic ladies who barely spent any time with their own children._

" _I don't know, love," he replied as he took of he began unbuttoning his shirt, and it was Agathe's turn to pause and admire him. Teasing her, he grinned as he began unbuttoning his shirt twice as slowly as before. "And who knows what Brigitta will be like. She's not even one yet."_

" _Observant, though, that one," Agathe commented. "Even though she can't talk yet, I can see her eyes on me all the time. The way she studies things…"_

" _I see. So you mean she's like you?" Georg teased her, referring to the fact that she hadn't taken her eyes off his chest in the last few minutes._

" _No, I'm pretty sure her observation is like_ you _," Agathe replied firmly. "Anyway, the three of us were able to have a nice time at the shop," she continued, returning to their original topic. "Such a good way to spend an afternoon. I look forward to when Brigitta will be able to choose her own dress as well."_

Georg's mind drifted back to the present as he watched Maria choose her own dress designs and help all the girls choose their own as well. Agathe had been correct. As boring as shopping could be for men and boys, it was a wonderful experience for girls to have with their mother, whether their new one or their old one. And what made it even better was Maria loved it just as much as they did. Just as much as Agathe had.

Just then Kurt exclaimed, "Father! The grey suit fits! Now can I put my regular clothes on again? And then we can go home?"

Georg turned to his younger son and sighed. "You are welcome to put your regular clothes on, but I am not sure if we can go home yet. Just because you are done doesn't mean everyone else is," he told the boy firmly.

Kurt grumbled at this but said nothing.

Georg glanced at the other side of the room again, maintaining a close eye on the sales clerk as well as Maria and the girls, who were now attempting to choose shoes. Although the woman had obviously been eager to obtain a large sum of money from today, Georg didn't like the way she'd looked at Maria earlier. Critically, like she didn't approve of Maria's relationship with him. These were _exactly_ the kind of people that Georg had vowed to protect Maria and the children from. He needed to make sure the clerk didn't cause his family to become uncomfortable with more disproving looks or comments. Fortunately Maria and the children were still enjoying themselves and the clerk seemed to be keeping her mouth shut for now.

A few minutes later, Georg saw Maria nod to Liesl and the rest of the children and then gather all of the magazines and shoes to the desk. Kurt automatically zeroed in on the moment as well. "See, Father, they're done as well. So we are going home now, right?" There was a huge grin on Kurt's face as he asked the question, one that went from ear to ear. Georg hated to disappoint his son, particularly considering shopping wasn't exactly fun for _him_ either, even though it was so enjoyable for the girls.

"Not quite yet, I'm afraid," Georg replied as he kept his eyes away from the disappointed face he knew Kurt would show him and focused on Maria instead. He walked up next to his future bride, who was standing in front of the desk. "Maria needs a few more dresses. Definitely an evening gown, for the Ebberfeld Ball in a couple of weeks."

Kurt groaned in disappointment, and Louisa and Fiedrich did as well.

Maria nodded, obviously remembering discussing the ball with him and Max the night before. Nevertheless, when she heard Kurt, Louisa, and Fiedrich's sounds of disappointment, she asked, "Perhaps it might be better to come back another day, Captain?"

Georg shook his head firmly, not willing to spend _another day_ in this shop. "No, we will finish this all today. It's easier that way." In the background he heard the clerk snort, like she was holding back laughter at Maria calling him by his title. Georg gave the woman another one of his famous hard stares and she quieted immediately.

"Then perhaps it might be better for you to take those three home now and I'll call when we are finished?" Maria offered. Georg appreciated that she wanted to make Kurt, Louisa and Friedrich happy, but he refused to leave her and the other children alone with this clerk, who would probably make more judgmental looks, noises, and comments about them any time. It was his job to protect his family, after all.

"No, Maria, the children can wait for a while. Just pick somethings out, now," he told her, using his captain voice.

Maria looked as if she was becoming angry enough to start yelling at him again. But before she could do so, Marta and Gretl cheered that they would be able to stay. "We haven't had a chance to look at the hair bows yet!" they exclaimed.

And even Friedrich looked at Kurt and Louisa and asked, "How would you like to play a game of 'Simon Says' while we wait?"

So Maria smiled at all of them and said, "It looks like I've been outvoted. We'll stay. And you three," she added looking directly at Louisa, Kurt, and Fiedrich. "Be careful. Be quiet and don't knock any of the displays down." The three of them nodded as they went to the other side of the store to play their game. Georg made sure to keep one eye on them, another on the sales clerk, and a third on Maria and Liesl.

"So which gown to do you want to wear to the party, Fraulein Maria?" Liesl asked. "I know you've said you like pink." She held out a deep pink evening gown that had lace around the edges and a low neck. Georg had to admit he liked the idea of seeing Maria in that dress.

But Maria shook her head, "No Liesl, I think something else might be better." They went through several other gowns too quickly for him to notice before stopping at a light pink one with on lace that seemed to have been fashioned by silk. Maria and Liesl both nodded at the dress. Georg did as well, thinking about how well the dress would go with Maria's beautiful strawberry blond hair. And even though the dress had a high neck, the material showed off how incredibly well formed her breasts were.

After that Georg _strongly encouraged_ Maria to pick out a few regular dresses. He was eager to leave the shop, but Maria needed knew everyday clothing as well. As much as he loved her dresses that showed off her gorgeous legs, he didn't really want other men enjoying the view as well. Besides, people would accept her quicker if she dressed a little differently.

 _Finally,_ they gathered everything on the desk to be paid for, and Georg and his family would soon be able to leave the blasted store. As the sales clerk sorted through all the items, she began shaking her head. "You have forgotten something, Captain."

Georg shook his head, insulted that he could have possibly _forgotten_ something. Especially in a shopping trip that had taken the last three hours. He had the design for Maria's wedding dress (which even as he _paid_ for it, somehow everyone kept it from looking at it), all the girls designs for the dresses they would wear, the boys' suits, shoes for everyone, Maria's new pink gown and other dresses, and even some new pink hair bows for Marta and Gretl. "No, actually, I'm sure I have not," he replied as firmly as he could. If this woman thought she could force Georg to buy something else just to increase her sale, she was mistaken.

"But your fiancée," the clerk looked over at Maria critically again, much to Georg's displeasure. " _Must_ have gloves to go with her gowns. At least one pair, if not two. You know that, Captain." She looked deliberately at Maria's hands and shook her head. Georg was aware that Maria's hands weren't as soft as typical aristocratic lady, like Agathe or Elsa's, who _did_ wear gloves often. But he also knew Maria's fingers had calluses because of her beautiful guitar playing and scratches because she wasn't too stuffy to climb trees.

Georg hated the way Maria examined her hands critically as the clerk talked. "I suppose – well I will look at gloves as well," she sighed. She started to turn away from the desk but Georg stopped her by putting his arm around Maria's waist.

"You don't need gloves, Maria. You're hands are fine," he said firmly. Georg knew Maria was willing to make fashion some changes in the way she dressed to fit into his world, and he appreciated that. But he drew the line at the gloves, which would cover her beautiful hands that were all the more beautiful because they were uniquely Maria's.

Maria gave Georg a confused look but nodded. And he stared at the clerk as he had done all morning and said, "I will pay for everything here and nothing more."

"Thank you for giving all the girls such an enjoyable experience," he whispered to Maria as they all climbed into the automobile. "Agathe told me that buying clothing was a wonderful way for mothers to bond with their daughters. And from what I saw today, she was obviously correct."

Maria's face immediately turned a beautiful shade of pink and she took a deep breath as she stared at Georg. He smiled at the way he reacted to his compliment _and_ the way his breath felt in her ear as he began driving.

On their way home Maria examined Georg for a minute before she asked, "Can you explain why you were so against me wearing gloves? I mean _you_ wear them and I know Elsa wore them at the ball and – "

Georg cut her off to kiss her hand as he completed a turn. "Yes, and _you_ are different, Maria. I'll tell you more if you are willing to give me details about your wedding dress," he added mischievously.

"Father!" Liesl protested in shock. "You should know better than that! I knew you'd try something like this. Don't say anything, Fraulein Maria!"

"Don't worry, Liesl," Maria replied cheerfully. "Your father should know better to think I'm going to give away a surprise. I've kept _two_ big surprises from him in the past, and this one will be no different."

The rest of the children in the back laughed and cheered, while Georg groaned.

 **A big thank you for all the new follows and favorites.**

 **And an even bigger thank you to those who gave reviews. I _really_ need them for this story,so I can understand what's working and what isn't. **

**Here's some responses from the reviews from the last chapter. (If anyone doesn't wish to receive a public response, you are welcome to give me a review through a PM as well.)**

 **Bloomandgrow: Glad you liked the beginning, as it was meant to be light and fun. And Max can definitely be a pest, but he's kind of necessary, too, particularly if you don't want M & G to get too carried away with passion (which I definitely **_**don't)**_ **.**

 **I'm glad you liked Georg's nervousness about meeting the RM and Maria's reassurances. I thought they were sweet, too.**

 **We all know that Georg wants to have the wedding quickly as possible so they can relieve the sexual tension, which has to be really high sometimes. :) But as a life – long Catholic, I also know they don't really like "quick" weddings. The only exception is when one of the parties getting married is in the military. I realize that I live in a different time and area then they did, but I think that it's a good idea to mention Georg's military past and concerns about the political situation as well. (Because it** _ **had**_ **to be something he was preparing for, as much as he hated it.)**

 **Srhittson: I remember you! You read YLOFA, too. I find it especially exciting when someone reads my stories from different fandoms. I am attempting to keep updating this story on my typical twice a month schedule. And it will always be updated on Fridays.**


	7. Problems

FProblems

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **. Also, the format of the flashbacks for this story comes from watching (and reading) OUAT.**

"A ball? Well…" her blue eyes darted between Georg and Max as she seemed to deciding how to respond. "I suppose," she finally replied as her eyes landed on Georg. By her soft smile, he knew she was remembering their wonderful dance from the last one.

"And this time you'll be where you belong. With me, wearing an evening gown. Not on the outside, looking in and feeling out – of – place," Georg promised her as he rubbed her arm in comfort.

Maria smiled at him, looking a little less nervous. He had been correct. A lot of her nervousness was because of her less – than – perfect memories of the last ball she'd attended.

"And of course, I'll be there as well, Maria," Max added, taking a nice gulp of Georg's scotch. "Making sure this one," he pointed at Georg, "behaves himself."

Georg looked at Max in disbelief. "Assuming you can tear yourself away from the food and the wine long enough to do so, that is." Max simply smiled impishly. "Honestly, Maria, you don't have anything to worry about," Georg promised her. "The Ebberfeld's approve of you. They told me when they sent me the invitation. They think you are delightful and the way you handle the children is wonderful. And I'll stay with you the entire time."

Maria smiled at him again and leaned closer so their shoulders were touching. As he did so, Georg smelled the grass, the flowers, and the rain in her hair. Maria always had the natural scent of the outdoors lingering on her, and it was more wonderful than any perfume. He inhaled her scent again for a second before Max cleared his throat loudly. Georg continued. "Maria, I have to admit, I'm not terribly fond of balls myself. Especially with so many people talking about politics lately. We're lucky we are not in Vienna. There, they have balls every weekend." He shuddered, remembering how Elsa dragging him from one ball to another when he visited her. "But I'm afraid we must attend the Ebberfeld Ball. They were friends with my parents, and I owe them the courtesy."

Maria nodded again.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Then after he'd bought Maria a beautiful pink gown that suited her perfectly, she admitted to him that she wasn't sure she could waltz. After reminding her how wonderfully she'd danced before, Maria admitted that the landler was a dance she'd learned in school, but the teachers didn't think it was appropriate to teach children the waltz. Georg was briefly surprised, although he'd tried not to show it, as _he'd_ been taught to waltz in school. But he was quite happy to teach Maria _all_ about the waltz, right in his ballroom. It was kind of too bad that Max insisted on watching them the entire time, and Friedrich and Liesl viewed the dance several times as well, but overall, it was _very_ worthwhile experience.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Maria looked gorgeous the night of the party, as Georg already knew she would. Several people at the ball tried to examine Maria's midsection a little too long, or give her a veiled insult, but Georg stuck to her side and showed everyone how much he disapproved of that kind of thing. Everyone was pleasant to both of them after that. Honestly, many people there reacted warmly to Maria's warm, cheerful personality anyway. The hostess herself, Baroness Ebberfeld offered Maria _any_ assistance that was necessary in planning their wedding as well, which they both gratefully accepted. The older lady actually took such a liking to Maria that she began telling a couple of stories about Georg when he was a child.

Georg quickly whisked Maria off for another dance before _that_ went too far. He and Maria waltzed _and_ performed the landler that night and he couldn't decide which he preferred. Both dances allowed Maria to touch him, which was particularly wonderful as Georg was able to admire her special bare hands. Both movements also caused Maria to come close enough for him to inhale her particular, genuine fragrance.

The landler, however, was a subtle courtship dance where you moved closer and closer to your partner as you continued, which was enjoyable in its own way. Besides, Georg had a feeling he would always consider the landler "their dance" as it was then that they first realized they might be in love with each other. But the waltz, on the other hand, was an intimate dance which required you to hold your partner close the entire time. Georg was able to look into Maria's eyes, feel her chest press up to his, and have her arms wrapped wrapped around him completely as they performed the waltz.

Several people unfortunately spoke about politics that night. Young men only a little older than Friedrich talked eagerly about being a part of the "new order" and the "fatherland." Men Georg's age mentioned how much they hoped for a chance to settle their anger with France and Great Britain because of the Treaty of Versailles. Many people young and old and men and even some women eagerly spoke of ways to cause Austria to become magnificent place it once was. It was _very_ obvious to Georg that these people meant they hoped Austria would join Hitler's new regime. Georg stewed every time he heard such nonsense, wondering how anyone could think Austria could "become magnificent again" by joining that madman. Maria usually took that opportunity to entice him into a better mood with another dance or a refreshing drink.

At one point, Georg came close to spitting in Hitler's stooge's face, Herr Zeller, who seemed to show up at every event in the last couple of months just to get under his skin. "You would be wise to understand all of the benefits Hitler will offer Austria and you personally, Herr Trapp," the man commented to him as Georg picked up some crackers while listening to another few talk about Nazism

"There are _no benefits_ , Herr Zeller," Georg snapped back, giving the evil man the same looked he'd shown him a month and a half ago when Georg had seen him last.

Zeller smiled smugly, like he had knowledge Georg did not. "We shall see."

Georg fantasied about wiping the grin right of that man's face but Maria took his hand and whispered, "Georg, he's not worth it. Come with me for another glass of white wine."

Georg sighed and nodded as he leaned closer to her, her subtle scent helping him to focus on what was most important: Maria. He held on to her arm as Maria led him over to the wine table, where Max was enjoying himself, of course. "Georg! Maria! Some party, huh?" Then he smiled at Maria as he took a nice drink of red wine. "See, I told you this would be fun," he added to Maria. Georg shook his head as he poured Maria and him a glass of white wine, which was just as refreshing as he hoped it would be.

Still, after that, he met a couple of old friends who didn't raise his hackles by talking about politics or study Maria too closely. In fact, Georg was even able find a friend who had boys at the right age to be altar boys. All in all, they had a nice time, and Maria actually helped him more than Georg needed to help her. She was doing fine conquering her nervousness. She was even calling him by his first name more and more now.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Still, Maria had a lot more to be nervous about besides the party, and Georg knew that. She was growing more used to being treated as the mistress of the house, but he was aware she wasn't entirely comfortable with that yet. Then there was planning the wedding itself. A reception hall had to be booked. Invitations had to be sent out. Food needed to be chosen. Decorations must be picked. Plus, Maria and the girls had to return to the formal clothing shop for dress fittings. Unfortunately, these were all things Georg didn't know a lot about himself. Agathe always took care of them when she was alive and Elsa took care of them for the last celebration he'd hosted. Still, Georg offered whatever help he could. Frau Schmidt did her best to help, as the woman was used to assisting with planning parties. And Maria took Baroness Ebberfeld at her word and called the older woman often for advice.

The children were also becoming a problem for Maria _and_ Georg. Every time they turned around, one of the children disobeyed them. Throughout most of the summer, they seemed to be on their best behavior. Georg wasn't sure if that was because they were so happy to have their father back in their lives or because they had received a wonderful new mother – figure. Or perhaps they were worried what Georg might do if they started misbehaving too much?

Georg swallowed a gulp of scotch in his study as he realized that it was a _very_ real possibility the children had been worried he would revert into a military commander instead of a father again if they acted less than perfect. How long would the consequences of his actions in the last four years continue to haunt him? Georg took another drink.

Even Liesl, whom had helped Maria and Georg with the younger children in the past, rebelled. Georg would never forget how angry he was when they found Liesl crouched on the floor in the back as Max prepared to climb in. "Liesl!" he barked. "Out!"

"But Father, I'm sixteen! Almost seventeen! I should – "

" – I said out!" Georg barked before she could say what he knew she wanted to; that she wanted to go to the ball as well. After all, Liesl had obviously dressed herself in one of her best outfits and seemed to have styled her hair for an evening out as well. That was _completely_ out of the question.

Max was no help. He simply watched the scene between father and daughter, chuckling the whole time. Sometimes Georg had to wonder why he put up with that man.

Georg was about to take Liesl by the hand and march her back into the house when Maria stepped forward. "Liesl, I understand that you believe you are old enough to go to this event, but we need your help to look after the younger children. Besides, hiding in the backseat of the car isn't very becoming for a young lady who wants to be an adult. You should know that, Liesl."

Maria's firm, but gentle lecture seemed to work wonders on the girl, as she looked at the ground, ashamed. "I'm sorry. I'll go back inside now." And the three adults watched as she did just that.

Despite the problems they were having with the children in the past two weeks, Georg admitted he admired how Maria handled their misbehavior. She didn't scream at them the way he would, as it seemed she saved most of her temper for Georg. Rather, she lectured them on what they did wrong and attempted to find a punishment that was appropriate but not too harsh. It reminded Georg a lot of the way Agathe would react when the children misbehaved.

" _Kurt!" she exclaimed one afternoon as she caught her five year – old son pulling his sister, Louisa's hair. "You are not allowed to do that. It hurts your sister. Now I want you to sit on this chair," she pointed to the biggest chair they had in the drawing room, for five minutes. No talking."_

" _But Mommy – " Kurt protested, obviously hating the idea of sitting down and being able to talk for five minutes._

" _I said_ no talking _, Kurt," Agathe told him again firmly as she waited for him to sit on the chair. "Now if you talk or try to get up, your time will increase. Do you understand?" He nodded, pouting as did so._

 _As Agathe left the room and prepared to watch the rest of the children from the terrace, Georg stopped her. "You handled that so well. When I was that age, my father would whip me for misbehaving, without even telling me what I had done wrong. How do you always know what to say, Sweetheart?"_

 _Agathe smiled back. "I suppose I have good mothering instincts."_

" _You certainly do," he agreed as his heart swelled with even more love for his wife._

Even when the children refused to go to bed, Agathe acted accordingly.

 _One night Georg and Agathe were in the process of undressing, giving each other little kisses as they went, when they suddenly heard thumping from Liesl's room. "I suppose I should go see what that is," Agathe sighed, tearing herself away from Georg._

 _Georg groaned, "I'm certain she's fine, Sweetheart. Really. Come back to bed," he insisted as he reached for his gorgeous wife._

 _But Agathe was already wrapping on her dressing gown. "No, Darling, she could be hurt."_

 _Georg sighed. He supposed she was correct. "Come back soon," he pleaded as she left._

 _Eventually Agathe did return, explaining that Liesl had decided to practice her dancing lessons in the middle of the night! Agathe had lectured her that she must sleep now, and since she'd thought dancing was more important than sleeping, she would not be allowed to attend the professional ballet they had planned to take her after all._

 _Georg and Agathe shook their heads as she climbed into bed. "Children," they said together, full of exasperation and love. Then they kissed and said children drifted from their minds._

Georg shook his head, smiling this time as his mind drifted back to the present. It was nice that he had someone to share his children with again including their misbehaving, their accomplishments, their cute moments, and everything in between. In fact he should give that call to Switzerland to so he would be certain his children and his new wife would be safe next year.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Still, Georg was aware that the biggest reason why Maria had to be nervous wasn't because of a ball they'd already attended or wedding preparations, or even children's misbehavior. It was those nasty rumors that still filtered through Salzburg about Maria and why she might be marrying him. Georg couldn't think of anything to help, except do exactly what he'd decided to do since they'd announced their engagement. He would make sure he was always with Maria and the children when they went out. In that way he could help prevent it from becoming _too_ unbearable by showing those people what he thought of looks, comments, and gestures about his bride.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOO

Maria was beginning to think she might go bananas.

First, there was the Ebberfeld's Ball. Although she liked the idea of going to one with her fiancé, Maria could still remember how uncomfortable she'd felt at the last party she'd attended. And this time, she couldn't hide in the background with the children. To add to her nervousness, the Captain – or rather Georg – had told her the Ebberfeld's had been friends with his parents. What if Maria said or did something that embarrassed or offended them?

Still, Maria was more confident than she'd expected in her new pink evening gown, and the Captain thankfully, stayed close to her the entire night. Some people did stare at her stomach a little too long, or examine her extremely short hair. Others made veiled comments about Maria and the Captain's relationship. But many people greeted Maria warmly, and even conversed with her.

Baroness Ebberfeld was a dear who seemed to accept Maria as part of the von Trapp family already. She offered any assistance that they needed for the wedding. She also wore green gown which reminded Maria of the outdoors, so Maria felt even more comfortable around the older woman. And she even shared some stories with Maria about Georg as a boy. "Oh yes, he was a marvelous pianist, even as child," she commented as the three of them nibbled on tiny cakes without frosting. "I'll never forget how proud his mother was when she told me he'd won the school's competition for piano performance."

Maria smiled up at the Captain, not surprised. Since he'd opened up the music room again, he'd spent several evenings playing for her (and Max as well, naturally). His music was beautiful. Her Captain gave her and Baroness Ebberfeld his famous smug grin. "I won three years in a row, actually," he commented, trying to sound causal but not really succeeding to anyone who knew him well.

Maria popped the last bite of the sweet cake in her mouth, hoping she didn't get it all over her face. Everyone here seemed to be able to remain immaculate while they ate and drank.

"Now don't let this man convince you that he was a perfect boy," Baroness Ebberfeld cautioned as she finished her last bite of the cake. "I also remember the first time I'd met him. It was a bright summer day, and his parents had invited my husband and I for afternoon tea, but he and his brother exchanged the sugar for salt!" The woman shuddered. " _That_ was a cup of tea I'll never forget."

Maria looked at Georg in amazement, trying to picture him as boy about Kurt's age, possibly younger, playing tricks on his parents and their guests. It was such a contrast to the stern Captain she'd met a couple of months ago, and yet it fit in perfectly with all the teasing she knew he was capable of. "Don't listen to her, Maria," he commented, sounding far less smug than he did a few minutes ago. "It wasn't my idea; it was my brother's."

Maria smiled at the way he insisted the prank wasn't his fault. It sounded like something one of his children might say. But before she could say anything else, Georg pulled her away from Baroness Ebberfeld. "Dance with me, darling," he commanded, snapping on his white gloves.

Maria smiled, letting him lead her on to the dance floor. Her Captain had finally explained why he didn't want her wearing any gloves, and she was so touched that she agreed completely, not caring how many people may look at her strangely. It seemed they both found the other's hands particularly attractive. Georg's hands were strong and firm, and all the more exciting because he kept them hidden from others. Maria's hands were smaller but tough and beautiful in their own way, and neither she nor Georg were ashamed of them.

The music was beautiful and perfect for the waltz. As they listened, Maria and Georg lost themselves in the dance. Her feet seemed to move on their own as Maria felt only Georg's strong, gloved hands holding her tightly and her chest pressed up against his. With him this close, she was also able to smell a wonderful combination of his cologne and the sweet cakes they'd just eaten. When they finished, Maria was pleased she remembered the all the steps to the waltz, after all.

The ball had been easier than she'd expected, over all. Georg actually had more trouble than she had, what with a few people discussing politics and a heated conversation with a man trying to provoke him. Maria understood his problems with Herr Hitler and the Nazi party; the man's ideas made her uncomfortable, too. But she didn't think this party, which was supposed to be a happy occasion, was the time to be worrying about them. So when her fiancé became upset, she would lead him to the dance floor or to find a drink. The only thing that was a little odd was when Georg insisted on staying with her as she talked to a group of only women or she stay with him as he discussed something with a group of only gentlemen.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Still, there were plenty of other things for Maria to be nervous about. Like all the wedding plans that Maria was required assemble in only a couple of months. Frau Schmidt helped when she could, and Baroness Ebberfeld was wonderful, but as the bride, Maria still had to oversee everything, and she wasn't sure if she was making the right decisions or not. To add to Maria's frustration, there was Max, who continued to live with them and watched she and the Captain's every move. The few times they were able to steal a few moments to themselves, Max would sneak up on them. Maria wasn't sure if she should scream at him for interrupting or thank him for preventing her and the Captain from going too far. Many times she did both.

Still, all of those were small problems compared to Maria's biggest in the last two weeks. The first was the children. After spending most of the summer with such sweet children, she was surprised to find them misbehaving so much lately. Kurt hid instead of listening to Maria when it was time for "quiet time." Liesl, who Maria and Georg thought was growing into a dependable young lady, tried to hide in the backseat of the automobile so she could attend the Ebberfeld's Ball. Louisa let the creatures she'd put in jars loose to room around the house.

Maria would never forget the scream that came out of Marta's mouth one morning from the washroom. She knew the girl was learning to speak louder all the time, but _that_ was a noise she didn't expect. The girl ran out of the room with her hands still wet. "Fraulein Maria!" the girl exclaimed, as she ran into Maria's arms, "There were big spiders in there! One was crawling across the floor, and the other was sitting right on the side of the sink!" The girl clutched at Maria's dress tightly, so her clothing became wet. "They had so many eyes and claws, oh don't make me go back in there!" Maria thought for a second. The spiders Marta was describing sounded suspiciously like some that Louisa had caught last week.

Maria patted Marta's head. "Don't worry, darling. You can use my bathroom to clean up." Marta nodded quietly and slowly walked down the hall. Then Maria opened the door to the other bathroom, reminding herself that these spiders may look sinister, but they weren't harmful to people. She'd never let Louisa keep them if that were the case. "Louisa!" she called out. "Why is Marta finding spiders in her bathroom like the ones you caught in the backyard last week?"

Louisa eventually arrived, but simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you remember how you promised to keep all your creatures in jars?" she asked firmly.

Louisa looked at the floor. "Yes."

"Please put them back where they belong, and you will not be allowed to collect more creatures, since you can't take care of the ones you have," Maria sighed and shook her head, wondering how the thirteen – year – old could break their agreement. As Louisa did so, Maria returned her room to check on Marta and change. After all, she remembered the complications of her clothes being wet from earlier in the summer.

It turned out Louisa was only able to find _one_ of the spiders, which she put back in the backyard as Maria demanded. So now there was a good – sized spider with eight eyes and claws roaming somewhere in the house. One more thing to cause frustration and nerves. Spiders were not a big deal to her outdoors; after all Maria loved nature and all it entailed. But it was different when there was a large spider in the house, sneaking around where people least expected to see it. Maria hoped it was found soon, for her sake as well as Marta and Gretl's.

But even Marta and Gretl weren't as sweet as they used to be. Every time they were late for a meal in this past week, they found a way to blame it on Maria. "Fraulein Maria told me I had to wash my hands first, Father. That's why I was late," Marta said one evening. For goodness sakes! They were required to wash before every meal, and Marta certainly knew that.

"Fraulein Maria couldn't find my new hair bows, Father," Gretl told him another morning. "That's why I'm late."

"Fraulein Maria told us we must put away the balls we played with this afternoon," Friedrich, Kurt, and Gretl all said at the same time another evening. "That's why we weren't on time for dinner tonight." Admittedly, Maria _did_ have problems keeping track of time. Fortunately the Captain – or rather Georg – knew that and was willing to tolerate that at this point, although he still preferred his household to run on a schedule whenever possible. But Maria didn't understand why the children were placing _all_ the blame on her now. It was just as much their fault as it was hers. She remembered a time, only a month ago when these same children placed _all_ the blame on themselves for being late.*

Had the von Trapp children decided Maria wasn't worth their trouble? Were they trying to get rid of her, just as everyone else in her life had? When Georg had asked their permission to marry their governess, they all agreed eagerly, but perhaps they'd changed their minds? Maria tried to tell herself not to be so pessimistic, and to trust the gifts God had given her, but it was becoming more and more difficult.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

However, the person who was causing Maria to go bananas the most was Georg. For some reason, her Captain had been following her _everywhere_ in the last couple of weeks. When it was family outing, like the time they took the children shopping, Maria was grateful and she loved to see him spending time with his children. But last week, he insisted on coming to the formal shop with Maria and the girls for their dress fittings, although Maria was _certain_ he did not enjoy clothes shopping. The boys did not need fittings, so why did he need to go as well? Perhaps he was still trying to find information on what Maria's wedding dress looked like? If that was the case, Maria was happy to have all the girls assist her in preventing him from seeing or hearing anything.

Still, it wasn't just the dress fittings that Georg insisted on following her to. He also went with her to the print shop where Maria had all the wedding invitations made. And he insisted on going with her to the tea shop a few days ago. Even the time when Maria visited the school supply store because the children needed new pens, Georg insisted on taking her there himself. Maria loved spending time with her fiancé, of course. But she didn't understand why he needed come with her every time she made a small errand.

With everything at the Villa making Maria bananas, she _desperately_ wanted to run to her mountain again, but unfortunately it was too wet for that. Instead, Maria settled for screaming in the washroom when she found the children particularly troublesome and occasionally walking around the villa in the evening. Maria also prayed that she didn't lose her new family. She prayed to understand them better. And she prayed that she didn't lose her head completely.

One thing Maria looked forward to was Verena Koch's ladies tea party on Friday afternoon. She had met Verena at the Ebberfeld's Ball and the two women found they shared the same taste in teas. They were also close in age, and Verena had only been married for a few years herself. It would be the perfect chance for Maria to see her new friend and spend some time away from the Villa at the same time.

Shortly after lunch, Maria let everyone know she would be leaving but would definitely return before dinnertime. To Maria's extreme surprise, the Georg followed her outside as well. "Georg, where are you going?" she asked confused.

Georg gave her a look of disbelief. "You said you wished to go to a tea party this afternoon. So that is where we are going."

And that's when Maria finally snapped. "I don't understand why you insist on following me _every time_ I leave, but in case you didn't know, this is a _women's_ tea. So you're not going this time."

Georg shook his head. "No, I have to go with you, Maria," he insisted, as usually did in the past couple of weeks.

"And why is that necessary? Why are you being so ridiculous?" Maria asked him, raising her voice every time she spoke. A horrible though suddenly occurred to her. "Is this because you don't trust me for some reason?"

"No, of course not!" He thundered back, giving her a look Maria knew would scare most people. "And it's certainly not ridiculous. I'm just protecting you, for heaven's sake."

"Protecting me from what?" Maria screamed back at him.

"From all those people who judge you Maria!" he screamed back at her. "I've seen them do it, so don't bother to tell me it doesn't affect you. You know how people stare at your waist, like they're expecting it to get bigger by the minute!"

"But Captain – " Maria protested, looking at her waist for a second before she looked back at him in disbelief. How exactly did he intend to stop others from their behavior? From having their own ideas?

"Or they make some veiled comment that sounds like a compliment and an insult at the same time," he continued, like he hadn't heard her protest at all. "If I'm close to you, I can make sure those things are kept at a minimum."

"And what makes you think _I_ need protecting?" Maria shouted at him. "People don't scare me that easily, Captain! Otherwise, I would have never survived the first few weeks here. I admit I wish you and the children weren't affected by all the gossip about us, but there's nothing we can do about it."

The Captain slammed his fist against his leg so hard Maria thought he might break it for a second, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it. "No, I must protect my wife! I tried my hardest to protect Agathe, and I _will_ protect you!"

Maria shook her head violently at that. "Well, I'm not Agathe, Captain! All I've heard out of you for the past few weeks is how much I remind of her and how you expect everything in your relationship with her to apply to us as well. Enough about Agathe! Do you really think this the first time I've had people look at me strangely, insult me, or gossip about me? It was rather common when I was in school. An orphan is an easy target for children, you know! And the nuns may have been nicer about it, but they certainly discussed my shortcomings. I don't enjoy it, but I've learned to accept it."

"But Maria – "the Captain protested, with a determined look on his face.

"No Captain!" she could be just as determined as he was, didn't he know that by now? "I will go to the _women's_ tea by myself, like it is expected." With that, Maria marched back into the house and told Franz to give her a ride to Verena Kock's nearby estate.

 ***See "That Thing About Fish" for a little more on this.**

 **Thank you for the reviews. Please keep them coming so I know what I'm doing well and what needs work.**

 **Here's the responses from the last chapter.**

 **Giulia: Glad you like all my details and the different aspects of this story. Nice to know you enjoyed "That Thing About Fish," too.**

 **Srsittson: Yes, I know not everyone enjoys shopping, but they did need to by something for the wedding, and Louisa knew that. I'm glad you liked the bonding.**

 **Bloomandgrow: I can only imagine how overwhelming it would be to go shopping with seven children, but then I think a** _ **lot**_ **of things would be overwhelming with seven! And yes, I got the "Maria's hands" thing in this chapter. :) Glad you liked the flashback. I think the one in chapter six is my favorite that I've written so far. Married couple talking about their love for their children while still making their romantic love clear.**

 **Guest: Thank you.**

 **Augiesannie: Glad you liked the wedding details and** _ **really**_ **glad you like the Agathe flashbacks. The whole possibility of "scandal," insults", etc. because of M & G's engagement is a bit of a cliché, but hey we all know it would be an issue, so I think it should be mentioned.**


	8. Make - ups

Attractions and Resolutions

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **, and the format for the flashbacks for this story comes from OUAT.**

 **This is one of the most important chapters in this story, so try to read it carefully, as there's a lot of information in it. And** _ **please**_ **do ask questions about things you don't understand and tell me if you think I've made mistakes. You can do so in reviews or PMs.**

Georg stood outside the house as he watched Maria get into his vehicle with Franz, of all people, and drive off. How dare she do that to him! He slammed his fist against his leg again. Some part of Georg realized he was probably going to give himself a bruise, but he was so frustrated and angry he really didn't care. All Georg wanted to do was to protect Maria and she told him, or rather screamed at him, that she didn't need him.

Still, Georg finally shook his head and turned to return to the house. He certainly couldn't stand outside staring at the gate all afternoon. That would be showing too much weakness. Just as he walked back inside, he heard the rain begin to pour down. Another rainy afternoon. It was actually rather interesting that Georg hadn't even noticed it was preparing to rain before. He supposed it was just another example of how infuriating Maria could be when she didn't want to listen to him; Georg put so much effort into forcing her to see he was right that he didn't notice anything but her. At least he'd managed to come in before he'd become wet.

"Hello, Georg," Max commented, appearing from around the corner as Georg shut the large front door. "What was all that racket about _this_ time?"

"Maria refused to listen to me, that's all. She _insisted_ on going to that afternoon tea party by herself, no matter how many times I tried to explain that I needed to protect her," Georg tried to give the impression it didn't matter, but he was relatively certain Max would notice his grumble.

"I see," Max replied, letting out a small chuckle.

Georg looked at Max with a scowl on his face. Was his friend actually _laughing_ at him? "Care to share what you think is so funny?" he asked dryly. "Because I certainly don't get the joke."

Max shook his head. "You wouldn't. But anyway, since Maria is gone for afternoon, perhaps you'd like to play a game of poker with me?"

"I suppose," Georg agreed, thinking a good poker game might give him something to think about besides how angry he was at Maria. Seriously, it was his responsibility to protect his family! It had been since the day he'd married Agathe. He _had_ to protect those he loved. How could Maria not understand that?

He and Max went into Georg's study and set up the game. But they had only been playing for ten minutes when he heard screaming coming from the children's rooms.

"No! No!" said what sounded like Gretl.

"Kurt! Don't do that!" screamed Louisa's voice.

"Stop it!" shouted someone whom Georg thought might be Brigitta.

For a couple of minutes, Georg tried to ignore the noise, thinking that maybe the children would solve the problem on their own since Maria wasn't here. But the screaming continued, and Georg realized he must protect his children from each other. Besides, he and Max would never be able to finish their poker game if this noise persisted.

So Georg marched upstairs to the children's rooms. Marta and Gretl were fighting over a doll; Kurt was pulling Louisa 's hair; Friedrich was telling something to Liesl whom insisted he was lying, and Brigitta was shouting at everyone for making so much noise that she couldn't read her book. "Enough!" Georg shouted as he entered Marta and Gretl's room.

Everyone quieted down at once. Louisa and Kurt's wide eyes looked at him with fear. Gretl and Marta looked at the floor. Friedrich stood up straight, like he was adopting the military response he was used to. The room was suddenly so tense he wasn't even sure his imperial sword would be able to cut it. Georg's heart went out to them, as he realized his children were still afraid of him. How was he supposed to discipline the children without scaring them to death?

How did Maria and Agathe handle this?

"Now I expect you to keep quiet and get along," he tried say sternly but not too harshly. From the responses his children gave him, he didn't really succeed, as they still looked quite frightened.

"Yes, sir," Friedrich replied, still standing up straight.

He suddenly remembered a tactic that Maria said often worked for her: Motivation. Actually it had worked for him in the Naval Academy as well. "If you children can be nice to each other and keep quiet, I might sing and play the piano for you tonight."

The children nodded eagerly at this suggestion. "We will, Father," Liesl promised him, and Kurt and Louisa nodded as well. Gretl handed the doll to Marta. Brigitta left the room and headed for her own, holding her book.

Georg nodded back, glad the situation seemed resolved. As he headed back to the poker game, he couldn't help but be grateful that Maria was usually available to take care of the children when they misbehaved. Though he was still angry at her, he couldn't deny she was better with the children than he seemed to be. She was such a strong, loving woman.

A part of Georg's mind wandered as he focused on his cards. Maria was indeed a _strong_ woman. A strong, _independent_ woman. And in that case, should he be so surprised that Maria resented his protectiveness? Still, protecting his loved ones was so much a part of how he cared for them, Georg wasn't sure he could stop. And they way Maria implied she'd been teased and insulted as a child because she was an orphan only made him want to protect her even more. When he thought of what she'd already been through…

"I see you," Max commented with a grin, tossing three poker chips into the pile. "And I raise you," his grin got even bigger as he tossed three more chips to the middle of the table.

Georg returned his full attention to the game as he examined his cards again. From Max's actions, Georg was almost certain his friend had a very good hand. Still, Georg had a decent hand as well, and he'd always been a risk – taker. He picked up three more poker chips and placed them in the middle. Then he added one more, not willing to be outdone by Max.

As the game continued, part of Georg's mind returned to Maria, remembering how she'd asked him if he trusted her. How could she even ask that? His irritation rose again as he thought about it. There was no one in the world Georg trusted more than Maria. Could she seriously not know that?

"I call," Georg suddenly announced, showing his cards. Four of a kind.

Max pouted, showing his cards. Full house. "Georg, you've got more than enough money already! Can't you give a little to a poor man?"

Georg smiled smugly. "I won, fair and square, Max. You can't honestly expect me to do otherwise. And you're not nearly as poor as you pretend you are." He leaned back in his chair, enjoying the feeling of victory.

Max shook his head. "No, I suppose not," he grumbled in frustration. As his friend continued to complain about the injustice of not winning the poker game, Georg's mind focused on Maria again, his irritation finally fading. Perhaps he was being too tough on her. Could his actions possibly have cause her to wonder if he didn't trust her? If that was the case, he should definitely apologize when she came home. Still, a part of Georg had to wonder if she would even listen to him. After all, he didn't do a good job listening to her earlier.

 _The last time they'd had a row that big, she'd listened to his apology_ the other part of his mind argued. Still that had been after Maria had seen what she'd wished for in the first place; Georg showing love to his children. Would she listen to him this time, when there were no actions to break the ice?

Georg's mind drifted back to his first wife again as he pondered this problem. Agathe rarely became angry, so apologies were not often necessary. The few times she had, a quick kiss and an "I'm sorry" usually worked wonders. But there was one time where Agathe had become so angry he'd had to resort to drastic measures.

 _Agathe had just given birth to a healthy baby boy a month ago and both parents were extremely proud. "Look how big you're becoming, Friedrich!" Agathe exclaimed as she finished burping him. "You must have grown almost two pounds since you were born."_

 _"Soon he'll be as big as I am," said Georg, smiling as Agathe put him in his crib for another nap._

 _Agathe smiled at him. "Do you really think he'd become_ that _big?" She giggled and then said more seriously, "I feel like a snack. Would you like to come with me?"_

 _Georg nodded immediately, and they both made their way down the stairs and told Franz they would like some food and drink._

 _Soon, Agathe, Georg, and Liesl, who insisted on being included, sat down to cheese, crackers, wine, and juice. "Father was surprised to hear the baby had been born but he'd received no invitation to visit. I told him he was welcome to come in another month. Friedrich will be more alert by then, anyway," said Agathe. She carefully spread cheese on a cracker as she spoke. Then she popped it into her mouth._

 _Georg shook his head immediately. "I will not have_ that man _in my house," he announced and drank a bit of wine._

 _Agathe put down her cracker as she stared at him. "_ That man _is my father," said much more firmly than she usually spoke to him. "And I want him to visit. So he will."_

 _Liesl smiled as she finished swallowing some juice. "I want to see Grompi," she said._

 _"See," Agathe said with a smile on her face. "Liesl wishes to see him, too."_

 _Georg couldn't believe she was defying him about this. "Agathe, I mean it. The last time he was here, he thought he could control the household better than I could. I will not allow him anywhere near my home again."_

 _Agathe shook her head. "I know that you and Father both like to be in charge, and there are a lot of disagreements between you because of that, but you need to try to get along for the sake of the family." She sipped her juice and dabbed her mouth._

 _"I most certainly_ do not," _Georg snapped, putting his wine glass back on the table firmly. "The man is impossible."_

" _No, Georg,_ you _are impossible," said Agathe as she stood up. "Especially when you refuse to allow my father see his me and his grandchildren. My father_ will _come to visit us." "Come Liesl, let us play with your dolls," she said as she took their daughter's hand and left the room, without looking at Georg at all. Half her snack still sat on the dining room table._

OOOOOOOOOOO

 _Later that night, Georg had to admit he was probably slightly incorrect. After all, Agathe was fiercely loyal to her family. That meant she was very loyal to him, naturally. But it also meant she was quite loyal to her father. Perhaps more than the man deserved, but nevertheless, Agathe loved him and Georg might need to respect that. He came into the bedroom and whispered, "I'm sorry," to her, expecting her to melt into his arms._

 _But to Georg's surprise, Agathe didn't even turn her head. The next day, his wife completely ignored him and spent all of her time focusing on Liesl and Friedrich. His sweet, warm wife had turned into an ice princess._ _Georg had to do something to cause her to melt again. He thought about it for most of the evening before he remembered how much she loved his naval uniform. It reminded her of that eager, confident sailor he was before he'd lost the war. And he was incredibly handsome in it._ _Wearing his uniform in Agathe's presence often reduced her to the gushing fourteen – year – old again. He loved it._

 _So that night, Georg carefully pulled out his full dress naval uniform and waited for her in their bedroom. When she finally entered, Agathe couldn't stop staring._

 _Georg grinned, loving how well this worked. "I'm sorry about your father," he told her as he took Agathe in his arms and began kissing her. "He can visit." And she melted._

 _In fact, they had such a good time that night that Louisa was born nine months later._

Georg shook his head; he was hoping to save his naval uniform for Maria to see at their wedding. Besides, what made him think the uniform would work on Maria the way it did on Agathe? That was another thing Maria had yelled at him for earlier; it was unfair of him to think about Agathe so much and expecting his new relationship to be like his last one. Maria was correct, of course. She usually was.

Still there had to be something he could to help Maria listen to him when she came home. A memory of the night they'd admitted their love came back to him. _"I knew when you blew that silly whistle_ ," she'd told him. Could that work? On one hand, Maria made it clear she didn't approve of his use of the whistle. But then if she said that's how she fell in love with him…

"Georg? Georg!" Max snapped sharply, forcing him out of his day dreams and pondering. "I said since I lost the poker game, you'll have to let me use your telephone now. There's a group in France I need to talk to soon."

"Sure, Max," Georg replied exiting the room. The whistle would work. It _had_ to. Maria enjoyed it when he teased her, and that was all it was meant to be. After retrieving the whistle from his room, Georg noticed it had stopped raining. Perhaps the children could play outside before dinner. After all they'd been quiet ever since he'd spoken to him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOO

For all her bravado earlier, Maria had to admit that it was quite a bit harder to go to these social events without Georg. He wasn't nearby to indicate which fork, knife, or spoon was to be used for which purpose. Today there were two spoons, two knives, and a fork. And Maria was well aware how appalling these aristocrats found it if someone chose the wrong piece for the wrong dish. She tried to observe the other women as they stirred their tea, munched on their angel food cake, nibbled on rolls, and scooped up pieces of fruit with whipped cream. But it wasn't just which silverware to use. There were rules on where to put each type of silverware when you were finished with them and how you must put butter on a roll. There also seemed to be a rule that aristocrats weren't allowed to create messes of _any_ kind. None of these women ever got whipped cream on their upper lip, or accidently dipped the edge of their sleeve in their tea. And of course, the fancy china dishes, which were covered with beautiful green leaves, could never be scratched or tarnished for any reason.

Ordinarily those types of rules didn't bother Maria. Like she had screamed at her fiancée earlier, she was used to people judging her for one reason or another and she had never tried to be someone she was not in order to please them. But Maria also knew her behavior today reflected how these people saw Georg and the rest of the von Trapps. So even though it went against her instincts, she did her best to follow the rules of these people, even though there was no one to tell her exactly what they were today.

Georg had been right about something else, too. Without him next to her, several of the women continued to stare at Maria's waist or her short hair the entire time. There were a lot more veiled insults as well. One lady who looked to be about ten years older than Maria and wore a light purple blouse and skirt asked Maria if any of the food they were eating would make her ill. "Women in your condition need to be careful what they eat, you know," the lady told her sweetly.

Another lady who was wearing teal green and whose hair was turning grey offered Maria her roll and the rest of her fruit. "If I eat too much, I won't fit into my clothes anymore, and I know women in your condition need to eat more," she commented. Maria tried to prevent the blush from forming on her cheeks at that; she didn't want these women to think that they were achieving their goal of causing her to feel uncomfortable. But blushing wasn't really something Maria could control.

Yet another lady who wore her blond hair pinned up and decorated with silver combs studied Maria's hair for several minutes. Then she said, "That's such an interesting hairstyle. I'm always interested in trying something new with these old locks, but I would have never have considered cutting my hair to look like a boy."

Maria was desperately trying not to offend these women; after all it could reflect badly on her new family. But her outspoken nature couldn't let that comment slide. "Actually my hair is cut this way because I used to be a postulant, not because I wished to look like a boy. Nuns considered long hair to be vanity, you know." And the other woman looked at her, completely shocked as she sipped her tea. It took Maria a second to realize she'd just accused the woman of being vain. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't mean anything. I mean, it wasn't meant to apply to anyone in particular."

"Of course, dear. No harm done," the woman replied sweetly. But she continued to stare at Maria in a way that reminded Maria of Georg when she'd first met him. Maria took a small scoop of fruit and cream and tried not to let it bother her. After all, she'd never let people scare her before.

Verena, who Maria was becoming quite friendly with, tried to rescue Maria from all the negative attention at that point. "This is a new blend of green tea that I bought just for this occasion. It's apple leaf blended with cinnamon. I hope you are all enjoying it."

The other ladies nodded approvingly.

Maria looked at Verena gratefully, smelling the pleasant combination as she did so. "I think it's a wonderful blend. I may try to buy some myself from the tea shop soon." Then she took another sip of the delicious tea. It reminded her of apple strudel.

"Well, personally I don't think I'd be able to have this tea at home," said the woman with the purple blouse who'd tried to ask Maria about pregnancy sickness indirectly before. "My husband tells our cook to throw away anything that's not Earl Grey!" She took a healthy sip of the tea, somehow managing not stain her mouth at the same time. "But's it's nice to try and indulge in other flavors when I'm not there."

All of the women laughed, Maria included. Several of the other women began discussing things that annoyed them about their husbands. "Mine refuses to buy fish, ever. He says it stinks up the kitchen and the dining room. So anytime we go out to eat, what do you think I order?" Maria smiled to herself. Despite how upset she still was at Georg, she loved the fact that he told the cook to serve fish every Friday now.*

"Well I'll you what's bothering me about Sherman," said another lady who Maria hadn't really noticed until now. She was already wearing a lovely ruby necklace. "He hasn't bought me any new jewelry for months! I've been hinting to him how much I'd like a new piece, but he won't be swayed. He keeps telling me it's because of Austria's economic situation, but I'm not so sure. He's always found the money for them before."

"Well you know what annoys me about Walden?" asked Verena as she finished her roll and placed one of her knives on the small plate. "He won't turn the lights off! I could understand if they were still a new invention, but I'm used to them and I know he is, too. But at night, every light has to be on. The dining room light, the sitting room light, Garion's bedroom light has to be on, and our bedroom light has to be on. It is excessive. I can't sleep very well with the light on _or_ do anything else for that matter."

Everyone laughed at that, in a suggestive type of way. It took Maria a few moments to realize what Verena meant by "anything else," and when she did, her face flushed red again. The idea of being intimate with her Captain while the lights were on was an intriguing one, as she liked the idea of being able to see _all_ of his attributes. But would she have enough nerve to try such a thing? Maria tried to use her tea cup to cover her face as her cheeks turned redder than they already were.

Still, these women's comments proved something she'd already suspected but was glad to have confirmed. _All_ women were irritated with their husbands sometimes for one reason or another. And although Georg's overprotectiveness drove her bananas for the last two weeks, he was still better than these women's husbands. They seemed to do things like refuse fish or ban certain teas from the house, based out of selfishness. Georg's behavior came from love. But that being said, Maria was glad she insisted on coming to this tea by herself. Especially with all the talk about problems the women had with their husbands; he wouldn't be comfortable here.

"I'm having trouble believing school is beginning again," commented another woman who had been looking at Maria's waist on and off for the afternoon. She finished her fruit and pushed the fancy dish away. It looked more like a wine glass than a bowl for fruit to Maria. Then she looked straight at the younger woman again. "What are _you_ going to do when school starts? Since your von Trapp children will be in school, will there be anything for you? The Captain can't possibly need your attention all the time. I hope you are not going to be bored," the lady added sweetly.

Apparently this woman thought Maria's only purpose at the von Trapps was the children. That may have been true at first, but it certainly wasn't anymore. "Since I'm still planning my wedding, I have plenty to do. Actually I'm rather looking forward to the children being in school so I can focus more on all those 'necessary' wedding details. And even when those are done, I've always been good at amusing myself," Maria told the lady firmly. She finished her roll and tried to remember what to do next. Should she place the knife on the plate or beside it?

"Of course, dear. Your wedding," the same lady nodded, smiling at Maria as if she was a child who didn't understand anything. Maria finally placed her knife on her roll plate and stared back at the older woman, trying to show those kinds of attitudes didn't bother her.

Holda, who was another woman Maria had become friendly with at the Ebberfeld's ball, chuckled as she put her tea cup down. The woman had light brown hair and bright blue eyes. Her fingers were long and delicate, as she was supposed to be a harpist and a pianist. She was closer to Georg's age than Maria's, but Maria found it easy to bond with music lovers. "Personally, I am glad the children will be returning to school soon. Near the end of the summer they always seem to become restless and prone to more mischief. You should see what Cheryl and Norman did to my piano last week! Even the governess can't keep track of them all the time these days."

Several of the other women had children nodded agreement, citing occasions where their children had misbehaved recently. Maria realized that the actions of the von Trapp children were normal for this time of year. It had nothing to do with them rejecting her, after all. She took a nice gulp of tea in relief.

As the tea finally ended, Maria had to admit attending was more difficult than she had expected, but she was still glad she'd gone, and gone alone. Not only did Georg not need to hear these women complain about their husbands, but Maria was proud that she had done this on her own. The tea party had also given her time to cool down from all the people that were driving her bananas, and she was eager to see them all again. Especially considering many of the ladies gave her a different perspective on those people.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

As Franz parked the car in the garage after they returned, Maria noticed it had stopped raining recently. The entire villa glistened with water droplets in the afternoon sun, and the small patch of grass in the front smelled wonderfully sweet. It seemed like the time to spend the rest of the afternoon in the back of the estate with the children. She rushed inside to suggest the idea, although she suspected the children didn't need much persuasion, even if the Captain was still too busy grouching.

But when she arrived inside, the children were nowhere to be found. She couldn't even hear the sounds of laughter or screaming coming from upstairs. Had Georg taken them somewhere without her because she'd gone to the tea party alone? It was a _women's tea,_ for goodness sakes!

Suddenly Frau Schmidt came in from the sitting room. "The family is outside in the backyard, ma'am," she informed her politely.

"Thank you Frau Schmidt," Maria replied. A part of her still missed the days when the older woman was friendlier, but she had accepted that things between them were different now. Maria was marrying the other woman's boss after all. It reminded Maria of how things changed between her and the other postulants after they entered the novitiate. Ultimately, she was far more relieved to hear that her family was still here and that they already decided to go outdoors. She made a dash for the back door.

When she opened the door Maria took a moment to absorb the atmosphere of the outdoors. The fresh smell of the grass again. The birds chirping in the distance. The leaves rustling over their heads. And of course, the laughter of the children nearby. All these things gave Maria fresh energy and happiness that gave her a grin that went from one end of her face to the other.

Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, and Kurt were playing a game of soccer. They were even trying to include little Gretl in their fun, which made Maria's heart swell. For all their misbehavior lately, they could still very loving. Like when they allowed their youngest sister to play with them, although she was more of a hinder than a help. Meanwhile, it appeared like Brigitta and Marta were doing something in the trees. But none of those things were really surprising. What was truly shocking was that they were wearing their play clothes. The children had been able to wear their play clothes again occasionally in the last couple of months, but it was usually required a lot _encouragement_ by Maria for the Captain to agree. Today it seemed he let them wear them on his own.

Maria looked for her Captain to ask him about the play clothes for a moment. Then she noticed he was sitting on one of the benches with his old whistle in his mouth. For a second she wondered about this contradiction, but he didn't seem to be in a hurry to blow it. In fact with the grin on his face, she wondered if he was playing a game himself. Maria had to admit, she loved it when he played games. And she acknowledged she had a soft spot for his whistle, too. She paused and watched the way he had his lips wrapped around it, remembering how good it felt when his lips were wrapped around her own.

Her Captain grinned smugly as he saw her studying him. Then he finally removed the whistle from his mouth. "Did you enjoy the tea party?"

Over all, she did. "Yes. And I'm glad I went alone, too," she added firmly.

Her Captain nodded again. "I understand that. I'm sorry I didn't listen when you tried to tell me before. It's important for you to do some of these things yourself." He sighed as he looked up into her eyes. "I just, don't like to be told that I'm wrong, that's all."

Maria's heart melted at the simple apology. She sat down next to him on the bench, not caring that it was still damp from the rain. "I know you don't," she told him with a chuckle.

"And I hope you know that my behavior has nothing to do with not trusting you," he continued. "Although I can see why it could be interpreted that way. I promise you, Maria. There's no one on this Earth that I trust more than you." His eyes shone with sincerity as he looked at her.

Maria nodded. "Thank you for telling me that, although I wasn't truly worried about that. It was just a fleeting thought."

"Good." Her Captain picked up her hand and gave it a squeeze. Then he sighed. "It just an instinct for me to protect the people I love, Maria. I'm sorry that it bothers you, but I don't think I can stop it completely."

Maia smiled at him and squeezed his hand back. "I understand that, and I'm not going to ask you to stop. I'm sorry if that's what you thought I meant. I know how important it is for you to protect me. Especially considering what happened with…with…" Should she say his former wife's name considering Maria had all but insulted him with her before? How could she have been so cruel as to treat his first marriage like that?

Her Captain, or rather Georg, nodded. "Yes. With Agathe."

"Besides, I have to confess, it's kind of nice to have someone look out for me. The Reverend Mother did it too, but not the same way you do. I just ask that you try to listen to me when I tell your going too far, ah, Georg."

"I will do my best," he replied, picking up her hand to give it a rather long kiss. When he was finished, Maria realized somehow she had moved closer to him on the bench they were sitting. Now she could feel his body heat right next to her and smell his amazing cologne.

Eventually, Georg looked into Maria's eyes and began speaking again. "And I'm sorry that I was expecting my new marriage to be like my last as well. That wasn't fair to you, either. It's true that Agathe was used to the men in her life protecting her, whether it was her father or me, so she was probably more open to my over doing it."

Maria smiled at him again. "No, it wasn't, but the way I spoke of your relationship with her was also unfair. You had a good marriage with her, Georg, and I know that. And I shouldn't have said 'enough about Agathe,' either. I know when you talk about her to me it's because you love us both, and I'm happy to hear that."

Georg's face shone with happiness at that comment. He leaned over and gave Maria a big hug, which she returned, and then rested her head on his upper chest. "Besides, there are some things in this new relationship that would be impossible in my old one," he commented as Maria felt his wonderful hands stroke her back and run his hand through her hair. "Like lots of making up. Agathe didn't have your temper, darling,"

Despite how good he was making her feel with his hands, Maria's insecurities surfaced at that comment. She knew her temper was one of her flaws and it often became a problem. Like it had today. "So Agathe was better than I was?" she asked into his shirt, scared to look into his eyes to see his reaction.

But Georg immediately pulled back, forcing her to look at him. "No, no, no, no! It's true that Agathe didn't hurt my feelings the way you sometimes do. But Agathe also let many things slide while you encourage me to be a better man. Agathe was gentle; you're my feisty Maria. One isn't better than the other."

Maria's heart swelled so much she thought it might burst out of her chest at that comment. It meant so much to her that Georg considered her just as good as Agathe was, a woman he had obviously loved with his whole heart. She leaned in and gave him a deep kiss at that, which he immediately responded.

After a couple of minutes of intense kissing Georg began nibbling on her neck while his hands played with the sleeves of her dress. There was something they should be thinking about…Maria struggled to remember…

Suddenly Maria figured out what it was. "Georg?" she asked forcing herself to pull away. "Where's Max?"

Georg's gave her his smug Captain grin. "He's in the study, on my telephone. It's business, so it should keep him busy for a while. And he can't see us from that room."

Maria knew her smile turned just as smug as his at that. She reached over and began exchanging more kisses; the smell of his cologne was in her nose and one her tongue. She drew back for a moment to admire his strong jawline caressing his smooth cheek as she did so, while he began playing with the sleeves of her dress again. While she enjoyed the feel of his hands on her, Maria's mind wandered to his whistle again. She really _did_ like watching how his lips wrapped around it. She also remembered the way his strong jawline moved when he blew it. It made him look every inch the strong Captain he was. Heat rose up in her body as she thought about him using it again.

"Georg?" she asked slowly as she gave his under – jaw another kiss.

"Mmm," he mumbled, still focusing on rubbing Maria's arms. He was moving up higher and higher as he went. Now, he was almost touching her breasts.

Maria sighed for in pleasure, but she persisted. "Captain? Will you blow the whistle again? For me?" She kissed his cheek a couple of times again, smelling his smoky cologne again as she did so.

Her Captain smiled, pulled it out of his pocket and blew it hard, just like he'd done the day she'd met him. Maria was just about to go in for another intense kiss in response, when Friedrich, Kurt, and Brigitta all appeared in front of them, standing in a straight line the way they always done when the whistle was blown before. Marta walked toward her father slowly, like she was uncertain what to do.

An awkward moment passed between all of them. Finally, Georg shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. I don't use the whistle to call you anymore, remember? Fraulein Maria and I were just…playing."

The children looked at their father suspiciously but Maria nodded. "Your father's right children. We were just playing. Go finish your soccer game, and whatever it is you were doing in the trees."

The children looked at their parents liked they'd gone completely bananas. "All right," Fiedrich finally replied, shaking his head as they returned to soccer.

"We were looking for Alice's portal to Wonderland," Brigitta replied, as if that was completely normal. Then she returned to Marta, who was about half way between Georg and the trees, and they both resumed searching for their portals.

And Georg and Maria shook their heads and burst out laughing. "I suppose I should put this away," Georg commented pocketing the whistle again.

Maria nodded, not wanting their time together to be interrupted by such a misunderstanding. But as he drew her in for another kiss, she paused and asked, "Georg, do you think…well I know we shouldn't do that here again, but could you bring it along for the honeymoon?"

Georg gave her his most smug look yet. She supposed that was a tiger looked like when he had caught his dinner. For three nights in a row. "Of course," he told her. And then the brought their mouths together for another deep kiss.

 ***See "That Thing About Fish"**

 **For the record, I don't believe Maria fell in love with the Captain when he blew the whistle. I don't even think she was** _ **attracted**_ **to him back then. But, as someone from another fandom once explained to me, it's very easy for a couple to see their first meeting through rose - colored – glasses after they finally admit their love and become a couple. And I think that's what happened with M & G in the Gazebo Scene. I hope that helps explains why Maria got so excited with Georg and the whistle in this chapter.**

 **I also am a** _ **huge sucker**_ **for couples who use unusual courtship rituals as foreplay after they become a couple. I thought the whistle could work for Maia in that case. (I have another idea for Georg which will show up in a different chapter.)**

 **HOWEVER, if you don't think the idea makes sense for some reason, please feel free to tell me. (Honest reviews,** _ **always**_ **, please.)**

 **Speaking of reviews here's some responses from the last chapter. Keep them coming.**

 **Bloomandgrow: Maria's a very independent woman, as I've stated in this chapter. But, yes, I also purposely made him go** _ **way**_ **overprotective, so much that it would drive anyone crazy. (Like Maria said, it was a** _ **women's tea**_ **for goodness sakes. I doubt even Agathe would have accepted him going with her to one.)**

 **Exactly. NO KIDS behave all the time. And there are several reasons, I think for the kids' behavior in this case, although it won't be discussed in full until the next chapter. And Georg didn't behave all the time as a child, either. :)**

 **Glad you liked the Agathe flashbacks and the historical context. Certainly fun to write. :) (I had wanted to put some more historical context before, considering the Anschluss was supposed to happen only a month after the Captain and Maria were married, but it didn't "fit" until this chapter.) I definitely think a lot of Georg's peers and "friends" talked about politics at those gatherings, much too his displeasure. I figure that's what the movie meant when Elsa said he thought he "wouldn't have a friend at the party" in canon. :)**

 **Srhittson: Nice to know I could put you in a better mood. Glad you liked the chapter.**

 **Amanda: Thank you.**

 **I will warn you it will be a little while before I update this story again. Lent is coming up, and as I have done in the past few years, I will be limiting fanfiction during that period.**


	9. School

School

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music.**_ **Also the ideas for the flashbacks come from watching and reading so much OUAT.**

The night before school began Maria instructed all the children to retire a bit early for "quiet time." Amongst the grumbles and groans of disappointment from the children, Georg and Maria quickly realized there were two children missing. Kurt and Louisa must be hiding again.

Maria suggested rather firmly that Georg look for them while she took the others to bed. Georg grumbled quite a bit, as he still didn't enjoy being told what to do, and he wasn't really in the mood to handle his delinquents. Still, he had learned that it was best to listen to Maria when it came to taking care of the children. After all, in many ways, she still knew his children better than he did and was far better at understanding what they needed. Besides, Maria had made the "suggestion" in what Georg was starting to think of as "her Captain's voice."

It only took a few minutes to find Louisa, who was hiding in the music room behind the piano. Kurt, as usual, took much longer. Georg had searched all over the house before he finally noticed his son's heavy breathing behind one of the big chairs in the drawing room. The very room where the whole family had been before Maria had announced it was time for the children to go upstairs. Hiding in plain sight. One of the best tactics to defeat an enemy. If Georg wasn't so angry at his son right now, he might congratulate him. Instead, he looked at Kurt like the insubordinate he was and barked, "Kurt! Upstairs now! And tomorrow you _will_ go upstairs a half hour earlier than everyone else, along with Louisa."

Kurt looked at his father like a dog with a tail between its legs and stammered, "Ye – e – e – s father." Then he finally marched up the stairs. Georg sighed as he sat down on the sofa and waited for Maria. Would he ever be able to discipline his children without them being scared to death of him?

Maria arrived downstairs just as Max appeared in the doorway, holding one of Georg's best wines from the cellar. Georg forced the disappointment from his face that once again, he wouldn't have even a few minutes alone with his fiancé. "Hullo, Max. You chose the most expensive one, I assume?" he quipped, focusing most of his attention on how lovely Maria was. She smiled as he took her hand and led her back into the drawing room.

"Naturally!" Max grinned as Georg and Maria both sat on the sofa to be near each other. Meanwhile, Max poured three glasses of the red wine and then placed the bottle on the table.

Maria sighed and put the glass down without drinking any. Georg knew she preferred white wine. He'd have to instruct Max to find one that fit Maria's taste a little better next time, but then she was usually more interested in talking than anything. And tonight was no acceptation as Maria began, "I certainly am eager for school to begin. The children have been causing so much trouble in the last three weeks. I have to admit, I'm not sure what to do with them anymore. Still, the ladies at the tea I went to this past Friday commented their children were being troublesome, too, and it should stop as soon as their in school again."

Georg paused and took a drink of the wine, thinking about that for a moment. He hadn't thought of it recently, but Agathe used to complain the children became restless right before school began as well. Perhaps _that_ was why the children were misbehaving so much. "I hadn't thought of that, but you're probably right, as usual, Maria."

Max took a healthy sip of the wine and shook his head. "I think the children's behavior spices up this place a little. It will be too bad when they're all in school all day. What will I do with my time?"

Georg shook his head at his friend, wondering what he was going to do with him. But he had accepted Max was simply another child and rarely took things seriously a long time ago. "I'm sure you'll find something," he commented dryly. "We're just lucky you don't encourage the children more than you do, I suppose." He recalled how Max had laughed when they'd caught Liesl trying to sneak her way into the Ebberfelds' Ball. He also wondered if Max may have known about Louisa and Kurt hiding tonight but Georg was afraid to ask.

Max simply sipped his wine and gave Georg his most charming grin.

Then he turned all of his attention back to the most important person in the room. Georg took a moment to admire Maria's body again before he looked into her beautiful blue eyes. "I admire the way you've been handling the children's misbehavior, darling. You lecture them and punish them without scaring them. I still can't seem to do so." He tried to block out the memory of the children's terrified reaction to his lecture Friday afternoon. And even tonight with Kurt.

Maria moved a bit closer to him on the sofa and took both of his hands in hers. "It's going to take time. You know that." He let himself be comforted a little as she rubbed her wonderful Maria hands over his. He marveled how open her hands were with showing emotion and everything else. Much like the rest of her.

But then Georg shook his head, refusing to give up the problem of scaring his children completely. "I know. But how _much_ time, Maria? When will they stop seeing me as a commanding officer?"

She moved even closer to him, enough so he could smell that wonderful "outdoor Maria scent" and continued rubbing her hands over his. "They already have stopped seeing you that way most of the time, ah, Georg. They laugh with you again. They eagerly discuss their lessons with you, and even the games they play. They haven't stood in a straight line just because you walk in the room in a couple of months. And sometimes they even include you in their plans."

Georg nodded and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You're right, again, darling. As usual." He tried to let the happier thoughts dominate his mind again and managed a smile.

She brightened at seeing him smile and leaned over and kissed his cheek. Georg reveled at the feel of Maria's lips on his skin and wished he could feel them even more. But of course, there was only so much they could do with Max watching. He briefly considered bribing Max to find another room to relax in if he could take the entire bottle of wine with him. But at the end of the day, his friend was trying to help him in this instance. So Georg simply pulled himself away from Maria and took a large drink of wine himself.

"How _do_ you do it, Maria?" Georg asked, after finally composing himself again. "How do you know exactly how to handle their behavior?"

Maria shrugged, moving her entire body as she normally did, rather than just her shoulders as most people do. It was quite alluring, and he had to remind himself again that Max was still in the room. "I don't, really. I just say what I think would make an impression on them. Since they kept misbehaving, a part of me thought it meant I _wasn't_ doing well at all. I thought perhaps…they'd changed their minds about me."

Georg eyes widened at that thought and took her hands in his, rubbing them to comfort her, just as she had done with him. "Of course not, Maria," he told her firmly, looking into her eyes as he did so. "They would never change their minds about you." He extended his hands to her arms, realizing Maria wasn't quite as confident at caring for their children as she appeared to be. It was comforting, realizing he wasn't the only one unsure of himself with them, but it also made him a little nervous that he couldn't depend on Maria for _all_ the answers with the children. But out loud, he told her, "Agathe used to complain about their misbehavior, too, you know."

Maria nodded, understanding.

Max chuckled from the background as he finished another drink of wine. "Maria, the children would never change their mind about you. After all, without you, it would just be gloomy – puss, here," he commented gesturing towards Georg.

Maria smiled a little brighter at that. "I suppose I do know how _not_ to discipline the children," she commented. Georg nodded, grimacing as he did so. Of course she did. She had already seen what a horrible job he had done. But she continued, ignoring the look Georg was giving her. He found the way she wasn't intimidated by his hard looks both admirable and frustrating. Honestly, didn't she know Georg didn't want to speak of his problems disciplining his children? "When I lived with my uncle, he would constantly tell me what a 'bad child' I was for misbehaving, among other things. It only encouraged me to misbehave _more_ , because I knew he didn't think I could ever be good, no matter what I did." Her voice, which was usually clear and confident like a canary, was now as soft as a hummingbird.

Georg's heart broke in pieces as he realized what his fiancée was talking about; her "wicked childhood" and that jerk of an uncle that made Georg want to find him and beat him to death. Too bad the man was already dead. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, letting her know she would never have to worry about that man or anyone else, harm her. He hoped to help her normal, confident voice to return as well. "At the abbey, when I disobeyed their rules, they would lecture me, but they always made it clear _I_ was still a child of God." Maria's canary voice began to reappear as she continued, "Even Sister Berthe never told me I was "bad girl" or any of the other names my uncle called me, when she made me kiss the floor or some kind of other punishment. So that's how I learned to punish the children properly, I suppose." She shrugged her body again, letting her arms fly around her. Georg watched as her breasts jiggled a bit when she moved. Maria was becoming more and more alluring as time went on.

But after a few moments, he returned to their discussion. "See? You know more than you give yourself credit for, Maria. You're wonderful with the children. And I marvel how you can take a horrible experience like that and turn it into a life lesson." Georg wished he could do the same, but every time something horrible had happened in his life, he turned himself off and wallowed in despair instead. Perhaps Maria could teach him how to respond better if he let her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

When the first day of school arrived, everyone came to breakfast on time, including Maria. It appeared everyone was excited to attend school again. Brigitta, Louisa, and Marta all hummed as they sat down in some of their nicest clothes and their hair up in ponytails and braids. Gretl sang, "The hills are alive with the sound of music," over and over, as she sat down wearing the cream – colored dress with yellow trim that she had worn to Elsa's Ball a couple of months earlier and her hair in blond pig tails. Maria, who looked gorgeous in her new shin – length yellow dress, helped Gretl finish the song. Kurt, who still loved to hide and had a flair for drama, jumped out from behind the wall in the dining room, laughing as he sat down in one of his best suits.

Max wandered into the dining room just then with his hand pulling on his ear and his nose in the air. "I can't decide which one is better," he commented. "The smell of sausages, biscuits, and cinnamon rolls, or the sound of that lovely music! If only – " he began.

But Georg knew exactly what Max wanted from the sly smile on his face. "No, Max!" he told him firmly. Did Max really need to bring up Georg's family singing in public again, especially when they were all focused on returning to school?

Max sighed and nodded. "In that case, the smell of sausages fresh biscuits and cinnamon rolls are the best," he commented as he sat down.

Liesl danced into the room, wearing a beautiful green and white traditional dress. He couldn't be certain, as he had spent most of his time staring at Maria, but he was almost positive the dress Liesl had worn when he'd sang Edelweiss for the first time in years. Even Friedrich, who was less excitable than the rest of his children, arrived at the table with a bright eager smile on his face.

Maria said the traditional prayer before eating, and added an extra request that God watch over the children on their first day of school. Then Georg wished everyone "Guten appetite," and they all began eating the delicious food. He had just swallowed a mouthful of warm sausage when the rest of the table began chattering again.

"I can't believe I'm old enough to go to the Gymnasien this year," Brigitta chirped as she finished a drink of apple juice. "I've been waiting for this for so long! And to think, this year I'll be at the same level as Kurt. I bet next year, I'll even be a level above him!" she crowed in a superior voice.

"That's not fair!" Kurt protested. Then he angrily shoved a biscuit in his mouth.

Maria put down her fork, making a noise as it hit the table, and shook her head firmly. "Brigitta, that wasn't nice. I know you're excited about going to the Gymnasien and studying more of the classics. You will probably do very well, but you shouldn't insult your brother because school doesn't come as naturally to him. And he may very well pass this year. After all, he only failed his literature exam last year, and I've been helping him improve his reading."

"Sorry, Fraulein Maria," Brigitta replied, staring at her plate.

"Remember to apologize to your brother as well," Maria told her firmly.

Brigitta sighed and did so, while Georg smiled at her ability to gently lecture the children again. He shared a private loving look with his fiancée before focusing on Kurt. "But I _do_ expect you to improve this year, son."

Kurt nodded as he silently munched on his cinnamon roll.

Liesl carefully wiped her mouth with her napkin as she finished her sausage, just like a proper young lady should. As Georg marveled at how much his oldest daughter really was growing up, Liesl began speaking. "It's wonderful that I don't need to wear that uniform again. I can't wait to see what everyone thinks of this new dress! Melina and Sofia always wear the best dresses to school and get so much attention; I bet I will too this year." Georg finished a warm buttery biscuit with a frown. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of what Liesl was saying. From whom did she expect to receive attention?

"And if I'm able to come out this year," she looked pointedly at both her parents as she continued. "Then I'll be able to dress even better. Like a real lady."

At that Georg shook his head at Liesl and gave her a hard stare. Did she really expect him to agree to such a thing? She was much too young to come out! Besides, what kind of boys might be interested in his Liesl? She had already caught the eye of that would – be – Nazi mail man. How many other young Nazi supporters could become interested in her? "Liesl," he began sharply, looking at her green dress with new eyes. If this was what type of "attention" she expected to receive, perhaps she should wear her uniform to school again after all.

But before he could make that suggestion, Maria took his hand and shook her head. "No, Georg," she whispered in his ear. "She hasn't done anything wrong. She doesn't need to be punished."

Georg scowled and briefly hit his other hand against his leg. He still hated to be told what to do. Yet he also noticed Maria had called him by his first name and appreciated that she was becoming more comfortable with that. He sighed and looked at Liesl once again, smiling and once again looking much older than she was and Georg realized Maria was right. Again. Of course she usually was when it concerned the children. "You must conduct yourself properly if you're going to wear clothing besides your uniform," he told her instead, purposely not mentioning her comment about coming out at all.

"Yes, Father," Liesl replied obediently, but with a big smile directed at Maria.

Georg sighed and took a sip of tea, wondering how Maria always got him to agree with these things. But then he took command again, looking at the rest of his children. "That applies to the rest of you as well. You will behave properly in those clothes, do you understand?"

"Yes, Father," the all chorused.

"Good. Because what you're wearing today certainly aren't old drapes, you know," he added, teasing Maria and the children at the same time. Everyone at the table laughed, including Max, and Georg let the lovely sound fill his heart.

Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, and Brigitta had already been brought to the Gymnasien when Georg, Maria, Marta, and Gretl arrived at St. Gregory's, which was the school for all the younger children.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Georg was impressed with how eagerly Marta ran to some of her classmates after she hugged him and Maria goodbye. "Marlena! Wanda!" she exclaimed loudly to two girls nearby who seemed about her age. The girls eagerly welcomed Marta, chattering excitedly as well. Marta had really blossomed this summer, he thought to himself. When was the last time he'd heard her shout like that? It used to be that she was too shy to do so.

Meanwhile, Gretl was chattering excitedly with Maria about starting school. "…and Brigitta told me they sing in kindergarten, too, Fraulein Maria, so I _know_ it will be fun! And they'll be so many other children to play with!"

"Really?" Maria replied, eagerly. "That sounds wonderful."

"And since you already taught me my letters and some of my numbers this summer, I'll probably be one of the smartest ones there!" Gretl added with a huge smile on her face.

"I am certain you will be," Georg agreed, smiling at Gretl as well. It was one of the reasons why he insisted his children continue to study over the summer. Von Trapps needed to be the best. It was expected. "Now, why don't you head to the building like your sister has already done," he added firmly.

"Of course, Father," Gretl agreed happily as Maria gave the girl a hug.

"Do you have everything you need?" Maria asked. A burst of wind slammed against their faces, reminding them of how much cooler it was today. Maria pulled the girl's jacket tighter. "Hats, and mittens, just in case?"

"Yes," Gretl replied as Georg helped her climb out of the car. With that, she disappeared into the crowd of children.

"Well, I think that went well," Georg commented as he drove away from the school. "Now at least we don't have to worry about the children for a few hours. Perhaps we can finally get some work done." After all, he knew Maria still had plenty of planning to do for the wedding. And Georg still had some people to call in Paris for the honeymoon.

"Yes, of course," Maria agreed neutrally. But when Georg looked at her face, he realized she was feeling far from neutral. She appeared as if she was trying not to be upset about something but failing miserably. It reminded him of the look on her face when she realized Georg and Elsa were engaged.

"Maria," he asked softly as he drove back home, "What is the problem?"

"It's nothing, really," Maria shrugged. "Only, do you think the teacher in the kindergarten knows how scared Gretl is of the dark? What if the school loses their electricity? I've heard that's happened a lot lately in this area. Or what about the children in the fourth level? Some of them are kind of big. What if they're mean to her? And St. Gregory's is larger than I remembered it. Will Gretl get lost? Or what if she loses her mittens and her hands become cold? I know the children said it wasn't cold enough for mittens, but you never know how much colder may get later."

Georg nodded in understanding as he pulled off to the side of the road so he could talk and comfort Maria properly. He loved how Maria had already accepted his children as "hers" in her heart. Of course she was having the typical worries of a mother. Agathe had felt the same way when Liesl began school.

 _Georg returned home after bringing Liesl to school with a big smile on his face. He was so proud of his oldest for starting school. He was sure she would be one of the smartest students in the kindergarten. Agathe was busy resting again, as she was six months pregnant with another baby, while the other children tried to play quietly upstairs. Unfortunately, they didn't really succeed._

" _Fiedrich, I was playing with that!" shouted two – year – old Louisa. Then she began to wail as she began another temper tantrum. Friedrich joined in as well, although not as loudly._

 _With that, baby Kurt began to fuss. Agathe climbed out of bed and cooed to her youngest son. Georg marveled at her ability to speak softly and remain calm, even after the children had interrupted her rest. She really was a treasure. "Was Liesl all right when you brought her to school?" Agathe asked as she rocked Kurt._

" _Oh – ho, yes," Georg grinned as he remembered how excited Liesl was when they arrived at the school. "She was very eager to begin."_

" _Because I started thinking, after the two of you left, what if she can't make any friends? She so used to playing with her siblings, she's never really had to make friends with other children. Or what if the teachers put too much pressure on her, being a von Trapp and a Whitehead? Or what if some of the other children are mean to her?" Agathe sighed. "Sorry. I'm worrying too much, aren't I?" She rubbed Kurt's back a little as the boy fell asleep again._

" _Perhaps," Georg agreed. "But only because you're a mother who cares so much about our children, darling. You've never had to trust someone else to take care of any of them, especially not for such an extended period, and now that you do, it's making you nervous."_

 _Agathe nodded softly. "I suppose."_

" _I love you for being so involved with the children, you know that, don't you?" he asked her as he drank in the image of his beautiful pregnant wife still holding their infant son._

 _She nodded again._

" _Still, I think Liesl's going to be all right in school. You've already been helping her learn some of her letters and numbers, so Liesl is ready for the academics. Besides, St. Gregory's has a wonderful reputation and is supposed to have great teachers. And if she does have any problems there, we'll be able to help her."_

 _Agathe smiled at him, full of love. "You're right darling. Thank you."_

" _Of course I'm right," he replied. Just then, Fiedrich and Louisa, who had ended their tantrums when no had listened to them, ran to Georg._

" _Come play ball with us, Father!" they both said at the same time. He shook his head, thinking perhaps he should reword his comment about_ Agathe _being so involved with the children. It seemed the children insisted he be involved too, especially considering Agathe's pregnancies. And who was he to deny them?_

Georg sighed as the memory faded, recalling how many times he'd denied his children in the last few years. But now he had Maria to remind him to be more involved with his children again and to love his children just as much as Agathe had. Speaking of which, "I'm sorry Maria, I should have realized you would worry about Gretl like that."

"I don't know where this came from," Maria told him, shaking her head. "For the last few days, I was so impatient for the children to go to school, so we could have more time to plan everything and have time to ourselves. But then when we pulled up to the school, I suddenly couldn't stop thinking of all the problems Gretl may have when she's there."

Georg took both of Maria's beautiful hands into his and began massaging them slowly. "I know where it's coming from, darling. You're worried about someone else taking care of Gretl. Even though I know you trust nuns, you don't know any of the teachers very well. And you want to protect her from all the things that may go wrong as she attends school. It's because you have a mother's heart and you're so close to her," he explained in a tender, loving voice. "Agathe had the same problem." Georg reveled in the fact that he could discuss his first wife with Maria without feeling pain or guilt.

Maria gave him as soft smile and rubbed her hands against his. "Thank you. That helps."

Georg continued rubbing his hands against hers in response as he spoke again. "I'm glad to hear that. But seriously, I think Gretl will be fine in school. You've already taught her letters and some of her numbers as well as how to sing. And with all her older brothers and sisters, Gretl has learned how to defend herself well against teasing. Besides, Gretl will only be there until lunch time. And if anything does happen, we'll be ready to help her."

Maria chuckled. "You're right. I should have been able to realize that myself. Usually I'm the positive thinker."

Georg smiled at her and began running his fingers through her soft, wonderful strawberry blond hair. "Of course I'm right. And I'm happy to be the positive thinker when your mother's heart begins worrying." He gave her a soft kiss at that, and she responded by giving him a much deeper one.

After a couple enjoyable moments of kissing, and enjoying their bodies pressed up against each other, Georg finally broke away. "We should probably return home now. After all, we have a whole house with no children for a few hours."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Georg was correct. Gretl loved kindergarten and didn't seem to have any problems. Unfortunately, Maria began to see it was the older children that she and Georg would have trouble with in school. First it was Friedrich, who commented that he knew he would do well in economics class this year. His teacher had said he knew Friedrich would be smart because he was such a "fine example of the Aryan race." Maria had been so shocked to hear such words from sweet Friedrich that her own mouth formed no words for several moments. Eventually, she tried to explain to him that how smart a person was had more to do with how much they studied than what their race was. Friedrich had simply shrugged and then began doing so.

The next afternoon, Maria heard Brigitta reciting something as she went upstairs. A lot of it seemed to involve things Maria didn't understand, but it certainly made her uncomfortable. "I do not know whether there has ever been such a through revolution as ours…" Brigitta began as she climbed the stairs. Maria followed her, trying to understand what it was she was saying. "…The National Socialist program replaces the liberalistic conception of the individual of a people bound by their blood their soil…" Brigitta's voice trailed off as she entered the school room. Maria followed after her. What was the girl speaking of? "…it is the greatest and most sacred task of a man to preserve his own race…" Maria's eyes widened when she heart that. Surely this wasn't what it sounded like? Brigitta when to obtain a glass of water from the bathroom and then continued. "also prevent Jewish people from trying to disintegrate and dominate other people under the mask of an innocent bourgeoisie."*

"Brigitta!" Maria exclaimed harshly when she finally realized the girl had to be reciting a Natiz speech. "Stop that right now! Where did you get that from?"

Brigitta looked at Maria with a confused look on her face. "From school. It's homework. We're supposed to recite Herr Hitler's speech for Social Studies class. My teacher says its current events."

"I see," Maria replied, trying to determine how to handle this. "Well, if it is homework I suppose maybe you should continue," she decided. Maria paused and noticed Fiedrich and Liesl had also arrived in the school room and were trying to study. "But I think you should do it in your room, so you don't disturb everyone else." And that way, there would be less children exposed to Nazism.

Brigitta nodded and began to leave the room. "And Brigitta? You know you don't have to _believe_ it just because you are required to recite it, right?"

Brigitta shrugged again. It was obvious she didn't understand why this was a big issue. "Yes." She paused as she went down the hall. You know Kurt is supposed to have the same homework assignment," she commented in an accusing voice. "Shouldn't he be working on his reciting, as well?"

"Actually, I think Kurt should work on his literature," Maria replied, looking for an excuse not to expose more of the children to Natizism right now. "After all that's the subject he had trouble with last year, correct?"

"Yes," Brigitta replied as she disappeared into her bedroom.

"Kurt," Maria called, as she began searching for the boy around the home. Hopefully he wasn't hiding again. The child was impossible to find. Fortunately, he wasn't. Instead, he was dancing around the ballroom. "Kurt, you need to do your literature homework," Maria told him firmly.

"But this _is_ homework," Kurt protested as he seemed to be practicing a variation of the waltz. "We have a required dancing class this year. Several different types of waltzes, the landler, and a couple of others. We're supposed to start track soon, too." He performed another fancy spin as he finished talking.

"Well, I still think you should study your literature, considering that's what you have trouble with before," Maria told him firmly.

"But Fraulein Maria!" Kurt whined in protest.

"Kurt! Your father has already spoken to you about that kind of voice," Maria told the boy sharply with her hands on her hips. "Now you will go upstairs and study your literature. If you do well, than the next time you want to practice dancing, I'll provide some music."

Kurt sighed and began walking upstairs as slowly as he possibly could.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Louisa had different kind of problem that night. "You should have heard the things some of my schoolmates were saying about you and father, today, Fraulein Maria," she commented as Maria had come in to say goodnight. "They think you _have to_ get married. And they don't think you'll make a proper wife for Father at all. And the names they used…it made me so mad! I tried to hold it in, but I don't know if I can. Perhaps tomorrow I'll introduce them to spiders, or glue."

Brigitta, who usually so deep into her books that she didn't notice the conversation in bed next to her, laughed at that. "It would serve them right!" she agreed. Apparently Brigitta had heard some of these comments as well, although she had chosen not to say anything. Maria was surprised at how angry she was herself when she heard this. As she had told Georg, she was used to people insulting her, both to her face and behind her back. And she was certainly aware that many people didn't approve of her engagement to Georg. Maria was also well aware how cruel children could be when it came to insults. But for people to attack _her_ children with such hurtful comments, made her blood boil. There was a part of her that agreed with Louisa and Brigitta about pulling pranks.

But she shook her head firmly, picturing what the Reverend Mother would say. "No," she told them. "You remember what I told you about pranks. It's not the way God wants us to live."

Louisa sighed and grimaced, but she nodded. "Still I have to do _something_ to show them they're wrong about you, Fraulein Maria. I know you're not really going to be our mother, but you will be part of our family. You _are_ part of our family."

Maria had to look away, not wanting Louisa to know how much that comment had hurt. She almost missed Louisa say, "I'll go to church with you and the girls from now on. That will show them how I consider you a part of this family, won't it?"

"Definitely," Maria replied, looking back at Louisa and trying to concentrate on how nice it was that the thirteen – year – old had finally agreed to attend church. "We'll be happy to have you with us. I should go say goodnight to the others. Don't stay up too late reading."

If this incident convinced Louisa to attend church again, than it was worth it, Maria told herself as she left the room. _Anything_ that opened someone's heart to church and to God was worth it. She had begun to understand that Louisa was a lot like her father, and that meant the girl was probably still harboring some anger towards God for taking Agathe. And of course, Louisa had been close to Agathe. All of the older children had been. It was probably unrealistic for her to expect them to consider her a mother just because she was marrying their father. Still…Maria loved all the von Trapp children so much, and she had begun to think of them as _hers._ Georg had told her several times she had a mother's heart for his children. But how could she be their mother if they wouldn't accept her as a mother?

OOOOOOOOOOO

Maria didn't know what to do about these issues, but she knew something must be done. The next day, Maria was supposed to decide what type of cake to have for the wedding with Max and Frau Schmidt's assistance. But instead, Maria ambushed Georg as soon as he returned from taking the children to their schools. 

"Hello Maria," he greeted her happily with a kiss.

She returned his kiss and led him into his study without even realizing what she was doing. "Georg, I've heard some things that make me uncomfortable from the children's school," she began when they eventually stopped kissing.

"Oh?" Georg replied, sounding curious and yet at the same time wondering why she had to interrupt their kisses. His arms were still wrapped around her securely.

Maria sighed and explained what she'd heard from Friedrich and Brigitta over the last few days.

Georg suddenly withdrew his arms and stood silent for several moments. The room was so silent that Maria could hear the ticking of the brown clock that sat on the mantle. She was tempted to start talking again herself, but she was coming to realize that this was how her Captain thought things through.

Just when Maria was about to say something anyway, Georg suddenly thundered, "We will have to withdraw the children from school, of course. You can teach them, just as you did this past summer. We will come up with a more permanent solution later."

But Maria shook her head violently. She knew something should be done, but that didn't sound like the best option. "No! That's not right!"

Georg's eyes burned with murderous fire. "Why not? So the children can make me proud, learning how to be good little Nazis?" he snapped in his famous sarcastic manner. "I thought you knew me better than that, Maria!" He pounded his fist in the air that.

Maria put her hands on her hips. "That's not what I meant and _you_ should know better than to assume that!" she shouted back at him, hurt that he could accuse her of such a thing. "I just meant that we shouldn't run when things become difficult or encourage the children to do so, either. It was a hard lesson I had to learn last summer, but an important one," Maria explained, not quite so loudly this time.

Georg sighed. "I suppose you might…be right," he admitted, dragging out the words because he hated to admit when he was wrong. "Here you are, turning your bad experiences into a life lesson again, while I'm withdrawing from everything. Do you think you could teach me how to do that?" he asked, sounding like he was joking, although Maria wondered if he may be serious.

"Of course," she responded reaching over to caress him with her hand.

Georg's became silent for another couple of moments as he thought again. "I'm still going to call the bank in Switzerland today, though. I hope it doesn't become necessary, but if the Anschluss happens, we will all have to leave. I don't care if you think that's running away, it may be necessary in order to protect you and our children," he told her in his Captain's voice, leading no room for arguments.

A couple of weeks ago, Maria had been insulted and suffocated by his over protectiveness, but today, it made her heart swell with love to know he would leave Austria, the country he loved wholeheartedly, before he allowed anything to happen to her or his children. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Certainly. And don't try to change too much. I love you for who you are. A strong man who always does what's right and does what's necessary to protect his family." Then she gave her Captain a peck on the cheek, loving the feel of his warm skin on her lips and the smell of his cologne in her nose.

"As for the school, we can tell our children that when they hear things like "'Aryan', 'Jewish' and 'Hitler' in school, that they should trust what we say about them more than some of their teachers," Georg finally commented, answering Maria's ordinal question.

Maria sighed and nodded. "I think that would work best. I know how much they admire you, after all." She smiled lovingly at him. Then she paused, remembering he'd called the children "ours" again. "Do you really think they can be my children, too?"

Georg caressed her face with his strong, wonderful hand. "Of course they can! They already are, Maria! You know how much _our_ children love you."

Maria sighed. "Maybe, but Louisa just told me last night that I 'wasn't going to really be their mother.' Maybe it's too much to ask, for them to consider me their mother, because they loved Agathe so much." She looked at the floor as she spoke, trying not to show him how upset this made her. After all, it was natural that the children, especially the older children had loved Agathe. She was obviously a woman very easy to love.

But Georg shook his head and picked up her face with his hands so she could look at him. "They _did_ love Agathe a lot. But so did I, and I've found room for both of you in my heart. I think they can too, just wait Maria. 'It will take time,' just like you're always telling me when I worry that they're still afraid of me."

Maria sighed and playfully slapped his arm. "Using my own words against me, that's mean!" she teased him, chuckling.

Georg smiled and chuckled as well, releasing the tension from the room. They smiled lovingly, enjoying the other's laughter and leaning in for another kiss.

Just when their lips were about to meet, there was a loud knock and Maria and Georg jumped apart, certain it would be Max, who finally pried himself away from looking at ten different kinds of cakes. Instead it was Franz holding a trey of lemonade. He put it down on the desk without saying a word.

 ***Hitler's Speech to the Reichstag, Berlin. January 1937**

 **I'm sorry that this chapter is so long. I actually considered splitting it, but when I tried that, I thought it hurt the chapter's quality.**

 **Also, I did my best to research the type of schools the von Trapps would have attended in 1937 – 38, as well as what they probably would have studied, while still making sure it matches up with what we know from canon. But if you know of any inaccuracies, please do tell me.**

 **And even if you don't notice any inaccuracies, please do give me a review! I need reviews to make this story work!**

 **Here's the responses from the last chapter.**

 **Guest: Thank you.**

 **Srhittson: Glad everything in chapter eight made sense to you, although there has been some changes to it since you first read it, so you might want to look at it again. (And I may be editing it again soon.)**

 **Bloomandrgow: Well, Georg loves Maria, so he comes to his senses about her eventually. And Maria may be uncomfortable around aristocrats (especially considering she know it reflects on Georg and the children), but as she's said she has a thick skin when it comes to insults. And thanks for the advice on fixing chapter eight. I think flows better with the flashback I have in it now.**


	10. Family Night at Home

Family Time at Home

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music.**_ **And the format for the flashbacks in this story comes from watching (and reading) OUAT.**

Before dinner that evening, Georg sat all of his children down in the drawing room and explained to his children that people who used words like "Aryan," "Jewish," and "Hitler" often said things that weren't true these days. He commanded that the children ask him or Maria whether to believe these people any time they heard someone use these words, even if the words came from their teachers.

"Really, Father?" Marta asked in shock.

"Even Fraulein Protz, my literature teacher?" Brigitta asked, sounding just as shocked.

"Absolutely," Georg snapped. Were his children really questioning him on this? Georg's heartrate sped up more than it already was as he began to prepare for a battle. _How dare they?_ Suddenly he felt Maria's wonderful hands begin caressing his arm and his heart slowed slightly. He smiled at her, marveling how well she was already becoming at realizing what he needed and giving it to him without a second thought. He reminded himself that his children weren't enemies and they were only surprised by his request. Unfortunately, talking about the Nazis always made Georg see red.

"Teachers do their best, and they are often very good at teaching what they do," Maria explained, taking over in a much calmer voice. She also continued rubbing Georg's arm as she spoke. "But unfortunately, there are things even _they_ don't understand as much as they try to. Your Father and I just don't want you repeating things you may have heard without understanding them. All right?" Maria finished, looking at each of the children one by one.

Each of the children nodded their heads obediently.

Georg, who felt as if he was finally calm enough to speak because of Maria's touches, also added they should also stay away from Herr Zeller, who he knew was Hitler's chief stooge in Salzburg.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After that, the next few days past smoothly. Neither the children nor Maria mentioned any comments about Nazism from school, fortunately. Even Max didn't mention trying to "get along" with the Nazis, as he had attempted to in the past. Maria took Marta, Gretl, and Brigitta to church as usual. To Georg's surprise Louisa had decided to join them a few days earlier. And at the last minute, Liesl decided to attend as well, thinking Maria may need some help caring for the younger children. Georg still had a difficult time with God and religion, but he had to admit, it might be nice that his children were embracing more faith. Perhaps it would give them a better attitude about life and make them more like Maria. At any rate, Georg loved how happy Louisa and Liesl's decision made his fiancée.

In an effort to give Maria even more happiness, Georg reluctantly allowed Maria and the girls to go to their next dress fitting without his presence. The gossip they might hear as well as the insults, nasty looks, and veiled comments they might receive still worried him, but Maria had made it very clear that following her and the children everywhere wasn't really helping her deal with that. It wasn't as if he actually enjoyed looking at clothing while he waited for Maria and the other girls, anyway. Georg had to admit, a part of him was disappointed he wasn't' able to see any details about Maria's wedding gown, although he knew the groom wasn't really supposed to see it before the wedding. Still, if he happened to hear one of the children discuss Maria's dress, that wasn't his fault, was it? And since his children had been so happy lately, they might just do that. Of course, even if he wasn't able to discover any specifics about Maria's wedding gown, Georg had to admit, he'd always enjoyed her surprises.

OOOOOOOOO

That Friday night as they were finishing dessert, Maria announced in would be nice if they spent some time singing in the drawing room again, especially considering how well everyone had been behaving lately and school was only half - day on Saturday. Georg wasn't sure if he liked the idea, especially as he could see Max ready to start taking notes on how to exploit his family again. Perhaps there _were_ surprises from Maria that he wouldn't be fond of.

But everyone else obviously thought it sounded wonderful. Liesl, Friedrich, and Louisa all nodded eagerly. "Yes, Fraulein Maria!" Gretl exclaimed eagerly as she swallowed the last of her chocolate cake. "We do sing in kindergarten, but the nuns don't let us sing my favorites. I want to start with 'The Sound of Music.'" She smiled as she said that, leaving a ring of chocolate frosting around her face.

Maria carefully got up from her chair and wiped the child's mouth with a napkin. "That sounds like a marvelous idea, Gretl," she replied in her happy canary voice.

"When can we start?" Brigitta asked, putting her fork down as she finished her cake. She also had smudge of chocolate around her lips.

"As soon as everyone is ready," Maria replied.

Georg sighed, realizing he would have to agree to this plan if he was going to make his family happy. Maria really _could_ cause him to agree to almost anything. "All of you must make sure you clean up first," He told them firmly. He looked deliberately at Brigitta's chocolate lips and at Kurt, who was still scraping the chocolate crumbs off his plate and trying to fit as many into his mouth, yet getting chocolate crumbs all over himself instead.

"Yes, Father," they all agreed obediently, taking napkins and wiping their faces clean. Kurt finally put his fork down and wiped his mouth as well as all the crumbs off his outfit.

"And we will go into the music room, and I'll start with some piano music," he told everyone firmly, determined to take _some_ control of his family. Besides, the less time they spent singing the less time Max would have to plan more of his exploitation of the family Georg needed to protect.

Everyone nodded, accepting the plan. Then they all left the dining room. Maria leaned in and whispered, "That sounds like an even better idea. I love the music room, and hearing you play the piano will be a wonderful treat for all of us."

Georg's heart soared at the way she thought his plan was even better than hers and his neck tingled as he felt her breath brush up against it. He gave her neck a soft kiss in response, grateful that everyone, even Max, was more interested in going to the music room than they were in watching Georg and Maria.

Eventually, they all arrived in the music room at the end of the hall. Georg was so grateful he'd finally let Maria talk him into using this room again. It smelled as if it had been dusted recently and the hardwood floor polished as well. He was glad he'd told Frau Schmidt to begin taking care of this room once again. Sitting in the center of the room was a beautiful, dust – free, black grand piano complete with a piano bench big enough for two. Nearby were shelves full of sheet music. On the other side of the room was a wooden shelf that held a beautiful violin which had once belonged to Agathe, and sheet music for that instrument as well.

 _Georg's mind drifted back to the happy times of him on the piano and Agathe on the violin in the evenings. The children had eagerly listened_ _to them play Bach, Mozart, Johann Strauss and son, Beethoven, and many others. Georg had always thought of their music as a love language that they gave to their children. They would begin by choosing the correct piece, and then as Georg put his hands on the piano, Agathe would bring her violin up to her beautiful cheek, and they would both caress their instruments with the same care that they always caressed each other's bodies later on. Their string instruments always blended together, filling the large room like there was no beginning or end to either one as they both became lost in the music and in each other. Just like he and Agathe's relationship was._

 _After they finished and returned to the present, Liesl, Louisa, and Kurt would plead for one more song. It always made Georg's heart soar that his children appreciated the music he and their mother created so much, but he had to say no. After all, they couldn't allow the children to get away with staying up later than they should._

As Georg's mind drifted back to the present, he revealed in the fact that Maria had allowed him to experience the joy of music again, especially in this room. Even after the children had begun singing once more, he'd kept this room hidden, afraid the large room would suffocate in memories. But Maria had finally convinced him that the room that he and his children once loved so much should be cherished, especially considering it housed such a lovely piano.* It was also a wonderful room for singing, especially considering the room had been designed specifically to produce music.

Georg looked at the violin, still in it's case, sadly for a moment. He should have given the instrument to one of his children when Agathe died. Louisa used to be particularly fascinated with to her mother's violin. Perhaps she'd be interested in learning to play it as well. Georg would have to give it to her soon.

But for now, Georg planted himself right in the middle of the room, on the piano bench. "Brigitta, will you find the music by Johann Strauss I?" He was beginning to realize, with her keen observation, that Brigitta could find almost anything.

Brigitta's blue eyes lit up at being trusted with such a request. "Of course, Father," she replied, searching the shelves of piano music immediately. Georg had to admit he was quite impressed with how carefully his daughter was searching for what he'd asked.

Meanwhile, Maria gave a small nod and smiled lovingly at him as she sat next to him on the bench. She obviously approved of him allowing Brigitta to help him. A warm, tender feeling for Maria and his ten – year old daughter swelled up in his chest just then. He wrapped his arm around Maria and pulled her body closer to him, trying to show how much he loved her.

The rest of the children sat on the floor, just as they had the night Georg had sang "Edelweiss." A red area rug in the middle of the room was placed up for them sit, just as it always had been. Max stood in the corner with a happy smile on his face. Georg just wished he could believe Max was happy for the right reasons. Eventually Brigitta finally retrieved the proper music and placed it right in front of Georg. "Thank you," he told her sincerely. Brigitta smiled back and then sat on the floor along with the other children. All of them had eager smiles on their faces.

Georg began playing the music, starting out with the happiness and then becoming more serious as he continued, just as the song required. He nearly lost himself in the piece, although he was still aware of Maria's body snuggled next to him and was vaguely aware of his children's presence in the background. Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March was, after all, one of his all – time favorite piano tunes. It was, after all composed for a great victory for the Austrian – Hungarian Empire. Georg had grown up hearing it and performing it on national holidays and even many times at the naval academy. Finally he finished the song with the happiness of victory that ended it.**

When he finished, everyone's happy clapping and Maria's whispers of "That was beautiful," brought him back to the present. He turned around and drank in how wonderful the atmosphere was in the large room, with all the bright eyes and big smiles. But Georg should have known better than to expect his children to remain calm for very long. Just then, Gretl launched herself at both him and Maria. " _Now_ can we all sing 'The Sound of Music?'" she asked tugging at both of her parents' clothing.

"Of course," Maria agreed immediately, giving Gretl a hug and then placing her back on the floor with the other children.

Georg nodded as well, deciding it was acceptable. He and Maria remained on the piano bench, but faced the children. Then he and Maria began singing "The hills are alive," at the same time, and the children quickly joined in with "with the sound of music." The lovely singing filled the room with a sweet harmony, as they all reminded themselves of something they enjoyed doing together. But despite what a nice moment it was for their family, Georg also made sure to keep an eye on Max. He didn't want the man to have any more ideas about his family singing in pubic.

After that was finished, Maria suggested that Georg and Liesl both sing "Edelweiss," as they had both done a wonderful job before. Georg sighed, still not thrilled at being told what to do, but he couldn't resist Maria's beautiful blue pleading eyes any more than he could before. Especially with Liesl nodding brightly and all the other children agreeing to the plan. At least this time he didn't have to worry about performing poorly because his singing voice was so unused.

Maria carefully changed places with Liesl so that it would be easier for the young girl to harmonize with him. And then they both launched into the beautiful song about Austria that they used to sing often when Liesl was Gretl's age. As his oldest daughter echoed him perfectly, Georg marveled how much more mature Liesl's voice sounded. Liesl truly was a young woman. A young woman he could be proud of because of Maria.

As they both finished, "Bless my homeland forever," their little audience clapped even louder than they had before.

"That was even better than the last time," Brigitta commented, making her observation skills known again. He supposed that made sense, as Georg had been using his singing voice more over the summer. He briefly recalled times he'd sang with Maria and other times they'd sang as a family.

"Have you been practicing singing without my knowledge, Georg?" Max asked from the background, in mock horror.

"When and where I sing is not really you're concern, Max," he replied to his friend firmly. It sounded as if his friend was still joking, but Georg couldn't let Max make any other plans for his family singing in public.

"I do think your voice sounds even more mature, Liesl," he told his daughter carefully as she stepped off the piano bench. "Or perhaps…I'm just noticing it's more mature this time," Georg admitted slowly, hating to admit how grown – up his daughter really was and how much time he'd missed with her.

But the joy in Liesl's eyes at his comment made what he'd said completely worth it. "Thank you, Father." Then she looked between him and Maria, who was standing on the other side of the piano. "Now can you and Fraulein Maria sing something together? I think that would be wonderful, too."

"Yes!" agreed Brigitta and Louisa at the same time.

"Please, Father? Fraulein Maria?" Marta asked more softly, yet much louder than she would have at the beginning of the summer.

Georg had to admit that sounded like a magnificent idea. Music was a language that spoke to him and Maria, and in many ways it had allowed them to fall in love. "Of course we will," he replied quickly.

From the look on Maria's face, she was surprised he had answered before she did. "Well as fast as you usually talk, I can talk faster if necessary," Georg whispered to her in a teasing voice. As wonderful as this evening was turning out to be, there was no way he'd allow her to have _all_ the control. It was nice to "beat" Maria at answering a question occasionally.

Maria chuckled and replied, "I see," into his ear and her breath made him tingle all over. "Could we try sinning, 'Something Good'?"

Georg's chest tightened at the thought. He knew Maria thought of the song they'd created for each other that night in the gazebo as 'their song,' and it certainly was a special song. But as a song they'd essentially written together, it was a rather private song, and Georg wasn't comfortable sharing things like that. Not even with his children and his closest friend. He and Agathe used to play music for the children in this room, but they always used proper sheet music.

Yes, this was a perfect room for Maria and Georg to sing to the children together, just as it was a perfect room for him and Agathe to play instruments together. Still as much as Georg loved "Something Good" he wasn't ready to sing it to his children. He shook his head slowly, hoping not to hurt Maria's feelings too much. "Perhaps we can sing that one another time, darling," he whispered back carefully. "Do you know, 'Swallow's Song'? He had a feeling she probably did, as Maria seemed to know most every German folk song in existence.

Maria nodded, "Of course, I'd love to sing that with you again," she agreed eagerly.

Georg sighed in relief that she wasn't hurt by his request. And written songs, from his experience, were just as wonderful to express love through music.

So they began singing the lovely song that fit them very well, too. As it was a song about love and nature.

 _Mother, under the roof a nest is built_

 _Look, look, look, yes, look_

 _The bullfinch has married a couple there_

 _Married, married, yes, married_

 _There, look, how happy the two of them are_

 _They fly back and forth_

 _They fly every which way_

 _Oh mother, I'd love to be a swallow's child_

 _How beautiful, how beautiful this would be._

 _Up and down, every which way_

 _Flies the swallow couple_

 _Without rest and peace_

 _Wonderful, beautiful how they get along_

 _I love to watch them_

 _The merl else singing and laughing_

 _Is very silent today and then gently thought_ _1_

 _All the time without rest like the swallows_

 _I wonder if they are happy_

Even though they'd never sung it together, they both picked up the melody quickly. Georg's deep baritone fit Maria's clear soprano perfectly, just as it had the last time they'd sung a duet. Their music filled the room in beautiful harmony, and Georg lost himself in the music and in Maria's beautiful voice. When they finished, the children eagerly clapped and there were several requests for them to sing another song. He and Maria grinned at each other, both loving that their children enjoyed their duet so much.

But just as he always had before, Georg had to say "no" when they requested one more song. "It's late children. You must go upstairs." He could see from the windows in the distance that it was pitch black outside and had been for some time.

"But Father – " Kurt protested.

"I mean it, Kurt," Georg told him in his Captain voice. He could tell his children were more tired than they were willing to admit. "And I will warn you, if you try hiding again, you'll have to go upstairs earlier than everyone else tomorrow."

Kurt pouted but nodded.

"Your father is right," Maria agreed, looking at Marta and Gretl as she spoke. Gretl had almost fallen asleep against Liesl's shoulder and Marta's head was drooping. Even Brigitta was beginning to yawn.

The children sighed and nodded, standing up slowly. Maria gently picked Gretl and guided them all upstairs. Georg smiled again at the way his Maria took such good care of his children. Then suddenly he remembered his plans for Agathe's violin. He carefully picked up the case and carried it to the room that belonged to Louisa and Brigitta.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Maria had just finished helping Marta and Gretl into bed and making certain Fredrick and especially Kurt were upstairs reading or at least talking quietly. When she entered Brigitta and Louisa's room to do the same, she found Georg had just exited the room holding Agathe's violin, with a wonderful contented smile on his face. What had just happened? "Georg, what did you just do?" she whispered, full of curiosity, as always.

Georg gave her a smug grin. "I'm certain you'll find out soon enough. Don't worry; I know you'll approve."

When she entered the bedroom, Louisa exclaimed, "Guess what Fraulein Maria? Father just told me I could have Mother's violin! And I can start taking lessons as soon as he can find me an instructor!"

Maria smiled at how Georg had realized the violin should be used again. And her heart swelled with love that he was willing to give it to one of his children, even as Louisa's comment about her mother hurt a little. She reminded herself what Georg had said, that the older children may take a little more time to truly see Maria as a mother. Besides, Agathe would _always_ be their mother.

"I remember how Mother would play wonderful music on that violin. I was fascinated that each string created a different sound. Father plays lovely piano music, of course. And you're great with the guitar, too Fraulein Maria," Louisa added quickly. Maria smiled, appreciating being included and reminded herself how much the girl really did care about her. "But Mother's violin was just…amazing," Louisa gushed.

Maria gave the girl a small hug with her arm. "Then you're father made the perfect choice, giving it to you, Louisa." It was nice that even though her Captain still sometimes struggled with knowing who his children were _now_ that he remembered what they enjoyed when they were younger. And it was even more wonderful that the violin was just as important to Louisa as it had been before, if not more.

Brigitta briefly looked up from her copy of _Through the Looking Glass_ to congratulate her sister and then say goodnight. After wishing the boys and Liesl well, Maria returned downstairs.

Max was already pouring more liquor for the three of them, although as Maria smelled her glass, she suspected it might be stronger than wine this time. She carefully put it down and began talking, as always. "I'm sorry I asked you to sing something you were uncomfortable with," Maria began sitting down next to her fiancée on the sofa, as usual. She loved "their song" and admittedly, she was a little hurt when he didn't want to share it. But Maria was beginning to realize that Georg saw that as something private. And even though he'd loosened up since the beginning of the summer, Maria had a feeling Georg would always be quite reserved.

Georg smiled and took a drink and then pulled her a little closer to him. "I'm just glad we found something we enjoyed singing instead. I hated to hurt your feelings like that, and I know it did."

Maria tried to shake her head, not wanting him to feel bad, but Georg looked at her seriously and she sighed. She'd never be able to hide her emotions, least of all from him. "I guess I'm still knew at what's between us," she told him. "I don't know what's supposed to be private and what isn't."

Georg nodded. "Don't worry, I can teach you. Just like you're still teaching me about the children." It warmed Maria that he didn't mind there was so much for her to learn. "And in another three weeks, I can teach you _everything_ about what's private," he added in a lower voice.

Maria's face heated up at that, wondering exactly what things he might instruct her. "Like what?" she asked before she could stop herself, her voice lower than usual as well.

"Things that we can't really talk about with a chaperone nearby," he replied a little louder, looking over at Maria's shoulder at Max, who was still guzzling the liquor. Max gave them both his famous cheeky grin and Maria blushed again. Sometimes things between her and Georg got so intense, she almost forgot he was there.

"Well, I think you're doing quite well with the children, even without my help," Maria commented, trying to bring them back to a more neutral topic. "I hear you gave Agathe's violin to Louisa. It sounds as if you've picked the perfect person to pass it down to."

Georg smiled smugly again. "I thought so. It needs to be played again. And Agathe would want Louisa to have it. But don't ever think I don't need your help with the children, Maria," he told her more seriously. "I wouldn't know them at _all_ if it wasn't for you, much less be willing to give the violin to the person it should belong to now. And you know how I still struggle with disciplining them properly and making the right decisions about them. I'll always need you to take care of our children." As he finished talking he began running his strong hands up and down her arms, trying to comfort her.

But as Maria felt his hands on her, she remembered how much she loved his hands. They played the beautiful music on the piano. They lifted puppet show theaters and removed huge obstacles from in front of the music room. They caressed his children lovingly. The touched her with tenderness and with passion. And those hands were all hers now. "I love your hands," she told him, taking her right hand and caressing his, as he still rubbed her shoulders.

"I love your hands, too, Maria. You know that, right?" he asked her as he picked up her right hand and began covering it with small kisses. Then he picked up her other hand which bore her beautiful, sparkling engagement ring and covered that with kisses as well

Maria nodded, remembering how Georg explained to her how special he thought her hands were. She smiled and took _his_ his other hand and covered it with kisses. Things were heating up between them, and Maria was beginning to forget about everything but the two of them again. She leaned over and gave him a deep kiss, loving the way he tasted and the way it felt to be with him this way.

Georg chuckled when they came up for air and pulled her closer then gave her a deep kiss of his own. As they finally broke apart this time, Maria suddenly remembered their earlier discussion about privacy. Was this appropriate behavior? She was just about to ask that when they heard a loud snort coming from the chair next to them.

They both laughed as they realized Max had fallen asleep and was snoring with his liquor glass still in his hand.

Georg looked from Maria to Max and then back to Maria again with a smug grin on his face. Maria knew what he was thinking. They were _alone._ Well sort of. Max was still there, but he wouldn't stop them as long as he was asleep, would he? Georg pulled Maria onto his lap and she smiled. She'd felt even closer to him than usual tonight after singing together, and Maria was happy to be able to be a little closer physically as well. Then he paused for a second. "Do you think we should wake him up?" he asked carefully, his deep blue eyes looking straight into hers.

"No," Maria replied after a moment. "He probably needs his sleep, right?" And it wasn't as if they would go _too far_ if Max was still in the room, anyway. If this was private enough for her reserved Captain than it was private enough for her. She nuzzled her head against his neck, enjoying the smell of his cologne and his unique scent while Georg ran his fingers though Maria's hair and nuzzled her neck as well.

"I'm glad we were able to sing tonight," Georg murmured as he began peppering her neck with small kisses. "Your voice is gorgeous, and I can't believe that I'm lucky enough to hear it, let alone sing with you."

Maria sighed in contentment at his words and the way his kisses made her feel. "I think your voice is just as wonderful," she told him, wiggling her body a little so she could look into his deep blue eyes again. Then she gave him another deep kiss. As they kissed, Maria felt something growing in his lap. She wiggled again, becoming more and more curious about what was happening between the two of them.

"Maria," Georg groaned, beginning to run his wonderful hands over her breasts, which made them tingle.

She sighed and gave him another kiss, pushing her body even more firmly to her fiancé's strong, muscular chest. And that's when they heard it. Gretl's voice exclaimed, "Fraulein Maria! I need you!" Maria suddenly broke away from Georg to find Gretl standing in the doorway of the living room. She made a dash for the girl, hoping she wouldn't realize what exactly had been going on between her father and her future mother.

Gretl immediately wrapped her five – year – old arms around Maria tighter than a boa constrictor. "I had a bad dream!" she exclaimed, sounding almost angry about it. "And I went to your room and you weren't there and I didn't know where you were! I thought maybe…"

Maria cuddled Gretl's little body into her arms as she returned the girl upstairs. She thought I left again, Maria realized, feeling ashamed of herself once more. "Gretl, I'm _not_ going to leave again, I promise. Do you understand me?" she asked, bringing the girl's face close to hers so Maria could look into Gretl's eyes, which she could make out from the light of the windows.

"Yes, I understand," Gretl replied, still clutching to Maria. "But that dream, Fraulein Maria! The monster came down from the sky and ate everyone!"

"Don't worry Gretl," Maria replied, rubbing her hands all over the girl's back. "There will be no monsters coming from the sky." With that, she arrived in Gretl's room and tugged her back in.

"Will you sing about our 'Favorite Things' again?" Gretl pleaded as Maria stood back up.

"Of course, dear," Maria replied, and began singing another one of her favorite songs.

 ***See "The Music Room" for details.**

** **I did my best to describe the piano piece that Georg is playing (as well as the history of it, which I definitely think would be important to him). But if you want the full effect of it, you should try listening to it yourself. It's available on Youtube.**

 **Come on, we've all been interrupted by our children, right?**

 **I will remind you that I** _ **have to**_ **have reviews to write this story, as I'm trying to do so without a beta. So I need to know what works and what doesn't.**

 **As an added incentive this week, I'll mention that tomorrow is my birthday, and reviews are still my favorite birthday presents.**

 **Here's some responses from the last chapter.**

 **Bloomandgrow: The movie** _ **did**_ **imply things between the Captain and the children were fixed a little quickly, but I also think it's canon that they were still terrified of him when he caught them misbehaving. (The berry – picking scene. "And having him boiling mad at us?") So I figure that's the most difficult thing for the Captain to handle.**

 **I'm glad you noticed the way Maria is "leading" him in parenting, as it is important to me for couples to be well – balanced. (Both with the amount of love they have for each other and what they're able learn from the other.) In M & G's case, I think Maria can teach him more about parenting and how to look at things more positively, while Georg can teach Maria more about relationships and the aristocracy. **

**And yes, the Natis propaganda. I know most of it would start after the Anschluss, but I also think there had to be a fair amount of "sleeper" Hitler supporters in Austria before then who were subtly trying to "support the cause" in every way they could.**

 **Yes, how "involved" to have Georg with the children is a tricky thing to decide. On one hand, like you said, fathers were very removed from their children back then. (That's part of the reason why I make it clear that Maria is "leading" in the child – care.) But on the other hand, as I'm sure you know, one of my favorite types of scenes are how the parents interact with the children and how that affects their relationship. So sometimes I kind of "bend the rules" one what was normal fatherhood behavior for that time.**

 **Srhittson: Thank you. I think a lot of what they were learning about Hitler was from people who supported him, but couldn't say it openly because this is before the Anschluss. (Brigitta's teacher for example, was using the "current events" as an excuse to have the children learn more about the "great leader" she admired so much. Ugh.) But yes, objectively speaking Hitler was an important political leader at that time, so teachers would have to look at him for that reason, too, if nothing else.**


	11. Nature's Joy

Nature's Joy

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music.**_ **Also, the format for the flashbacks in this story comes from watching (and reading) OUAT.**

Maria realized the wedding was approaching quickly, so she really tried to do as much preparation as she could in the next week. She also attempted to make certain the children were getting along and doing their homework. In between that, the cook now constantly asked her what should be served for breakfast and dinner, considering she was to be the mistress of the house. Maria had always enjoyed keeping busy, but this was a bit overwhelming even for her. At night, she had the chance to relax with Georg, although Max was always nearby, complete with a bottle of wine or hard liquor. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it, Max did not fall asleep during these nightly gatherings again. But the memory of the night they'd spent so close together hung between them like unspoken promise that they both craved to experience once more.

The following Saturday, Maria woke up and realized the sun was shining brightly for a change. There didn't even appear to be many clouds in the sky. It was exactly the sort of day that Maria would have snuck out of the Abbey to spend the day on her mountain in the past. But she sighed, remembering how much work she must do on the seating chart for the wedding reception today. Maria knew she needed to take her responsibilities seriously now. Besides, the older children had school this morning, and she didn't wish to leave them out of a trip to the mountain. Still, Maria couldn't stop from looking the sunshine in the windows longingly as she sat down to breakfast. It was the sort of day that she always felt Unterberg calling to her…

The children bounced into the dining room and sat down as well. Even Max had a cheerful expression on his face for an early Saturday morning. Maria loved how a sunny day always put people in a better mood. As soon as everyone was seated, Georg announced to everyone's surprise, "I think a trip to the mountains is in order today. This afternoon." His smug grin showed how certain he was that everyone at the table would approve of the plan. Maria sometimes found that grin a little annoying, but today her heart swelled at Georg's statement and his arrogant smirk. She knew that he had realized how much she wanted to visit her mountain.

"That sounds wonderful," said Maria immediately, despite having just decided she must work on the seating chart today.

The children, of course, loved the idea as well, as they all squealed with delight. "Oh, yes Father," said Liesl with her eyes glowing with excitement.

"When can we go, Father?" Gretl asked, looking like she was ready to leave right now.

"This afternoon, Gretl," Georg replied firmly. "Remember your siblings still have school this morning."

Gretl's shoulders slumped a little in disappointment her lower lip stuck out as she pouted. Just then, the butler enter the room with treys full of hot food. Sausage, ham, scrambled eggs and toast were placed on the table. Gretl perked up a little as she saw the delicious looking breakfast.

"Yay! Breakfast!" Kurt cheered, looking at each dish with wide, eager eyes. Maria saw Georg grin at his son's healthy appetite. Maria smiled at Kurt's enthusiasm for food as well and leaned over to tussle the boy's hair affectionately.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A few hours later, the whole von Trapp family, and of course Max, all waited at the train station while Georg prepared to buy their tickets. Maria used her free hand to take Gretl's, who had been dancing around the station in excitement since they'd climbed out of the wagon. Georg used his free hand to take Marta's, who was attempting to make her dress twirl. "Stay with me, Marta," he warned, sternly.

Marta nodded and stopped twirling immediately. Gretl, on the other hand, attempted to keep dancing while Maria held her hand. Maria shared a loving look with Georg at Gretl's obvious excitement.

Curious at what the other children were doing behind them, Maria briefly looked over her shoulder.

Friedrich stood tall, proud to be carrying the picnic basket. Maria had also asked Liesl to keep close eye on Kurt, so the boy wouldn't steal any snacks from the basket. The older girl seemed to be doing a marvelous job, standing right next to Friedrich and watching her younger brother closely. "What are you going to do first when you get to the mountain?" Liesl asked Kurt, obviously hoping to distract him.

"Play ball!" Kurt replied immediately, clutching the red ball they'd been allowed to bring along.

Brigitta stood next to Kurt, and seemed to be watching him even more intently.

Maria finally turned back around, as the blinding sun was beginning to sting, as much as she appreciated its warmth.

"Well, I'm challenging you and Friedrich to a race when we get to the mountain, so if you don't want to lose, you should forget about the ball for a while," said Louisa in a superior voice. It reminded Maria of Georg's voice when he was trying to prove how much better he was than Max.

Speaking of their mischievous chaperone, he was being awfully quiet since they arrived at the train station, watching everyone from the background. Maria had to wonder if the man was up to something again. "Max is being unusually quiet, especially considering he isn't eating or drinking right now,"said Maria loudly, purposely letting Max hear as well. "Do you think he's planning something again?" she asked, only half – joking.

Georg gave Maria a wonderful teasing grin. "Mas is _always_ planning something, darling, haven't you figured that out by now? Aren't you Max?" he called to the background where they knew the other man was watching.

"Naturally!" said Max, sounding proud.

"But the only thing I want you to be concerned about today is enjoying your mountain with the children," Georg told Maria firmly as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "I know how overwhelmed you've been feeling this past week, and I'm going to protect you from all that. This is the perfect day to forget it." Maria bristled for a second, his desire to protect her clashing with her independent nature again. Then she reminded herself what she had learned a couple of weeks ago. Being protective of those he loved was part of who Georg was. And the reality was Maria already felt better than she had in days now that they were on their way to the mountain.

Without thinking, Maria's feet began to move, showing her enthusiasm much like Gretl did. "Thank you," she told him. "This _is_ the perfect day to enjoy the Unterberg," Maria smiled as she felt the sun shine on her. It was an unusually warm day, in addition to being sunny, so they didn't even need jackets.

Georg nodded, smiling tenderly as he looked down at her and Gretl's feet dancing about. Finally, he arrived at the ticket window and bought ten tickets.

OOOOOOOOOOO 

As soon as they all arrived at the mountain's grassy meadow, Louisa yelled, "First one to the tree wins!" With that, she made a dash to the tree on the other side of the field. Friedrich and Kurt both immediately put down the picnic basket and the ball and took off, determined not to allow their sister to beat them.

Brigitta and Marta, on the other hand, showed little interest in racing, preferring to pick wildflowers instead. Gretl let go of Maria's hand and began spinning around the field in excitement. Maria smiled as she watched the girl, thinking how much Gretl reminded her of herself. After all, Maria had done the exact same thing on her last trip to the Unterberg before she came to the von Trapps.

Liesl, meanwhile, sat down on the picnic blanket, seeming to be enjoying the peacefulness and sunshine. Max looked between the picnic blanket and Maria and Georg. "Decisions, decisions," he commented, fingering his mustache. He appeared to be trying to decide whether to take his chaperoning duties seriously or guard the food.

Georg, who was still holding Maria's hand, whispered, "Show me _all_ the details of your mountain."

"But I did that last time…" said Maria, confused. Then she remembered. She'd shown _the children_ every detail over the last two trips. But Georg was still in Vienna the first time and the second time, he'd spent most of it entertaining the Baroness. "Of course," she told him brightly, loving the idea of sharing the mountain's secrets with him.

So they walked all over the meadow to the tree where Louisa, Friedrich, and Kurt were racing. By the time they arrived, Louisa hand won, and was bragging about her victory. "See how much faster I am than both of you? Girls are better than boys!" she crowed, raising both of her hands in the air.

Friedrich put his hands on his hips and shook his head. "That's not fair! You started earlier than we did."

Kurt nodded. "Rematch! Back to the picnic blanket." With that, all three of them ran off at the same time.

"Don't eat any of the food, Kurt!" said Maria as they zipped away.

"Or let Max eat any, either," Georg added, half teasing, half commanding. "So what is important about this tree?" He asked Maria, turning to face her again.

Maria shook her head. "Not this one. That one," she pointed to another larger tree, which stood tall and strong, like a perfect ladder to heaven. It was about fifty yards from them. "I used to climb that tree and see all of Salzburg from it, especially the Abbey." She smiled at the memory. The Abbey may not have been the right place for her but she would always remember it, and the tree, fondly.

Georg looked at the tree, then back at Maria, his smile becoming bigger and bigger as he continued looking at her. "I'm happy to see you have _some_ happy childhood memories," he commented, his voice sarcastic despite the happy expression on his face.

Maria sighed. She appreciated that her unhappy childhood bothered him so much, but it wasn't something she liked to focus. "I _do_ have happy childhood memories, and most of them are on this mountain." Her eyes spanned the Unterberg, remembering all the wonderful times she'd spent here in the past. She took a deep breath and filled her lungs with the wonderful mountain air. Then Maria returned to look at Georg. "And I'll have a happy life because of _you._ " She reached up and stroked his smooth cheek and then gave him a kiss.

They kissed for several moments, enjoying their brief time alone. Then Maria broke away, thinking of something else to show him. "And behind those two trees over there," she pointed to two trees about ten feet away which stood next to each other like twins. "There's a path that goes to the other side of the mountain."

Maria paused, listening to the voices of the children in the distance for a moment. Louisa, Friedrich, and Kurt had apparently abandoned racing in favor playing with the ball. But their blissful laughter her know they were enjoying themselves. Gretl seemed to be taking a break from spinning, choosing to make flower arrangements with her sisters. "I'm so glad the children love it here as much as I do," Maria commented, taking a deep breath of the mountain air again. "I hoped they would…"

Georg grinned turning to watch the children for a moment as well. Maria loved how she could see the joy on his face from his children's happiness. Then he turned to gaze at Maria lovingly. "Of course they do, Maria. It's a perfect place to play ball, race, pick flowers, dance, or explore," he commented, naming all the things the children had enjoyed doing here now or in the past. "And a perfect location for picnics," he added in a more distant voice.

Georg appeared to look far into the distance, a look Maria had been seeing more and more in the last few weeks. By now, she knew it meant he was remembering Agathe. Some women may be hurt that their fiancé was remembering so many fond memories of their dead spouse, but Maria found she didn't mind. After all, Georg had made it perfectly clear to her that he didn't love Maria less than Agathe. And Georg had only began remembering Agathe fondly since he'd become engaged to Maria. Maria still remembered the pain on his face after he finished playing the piano for her that one morning.* She now understood that pain was his memories of Agathe in that special room. A room he now allowed the family to use because his memories didn't cause him pain.

"Did you and Agathe take the children to the mountains for picnics, too?" Maria asked him loudly. Not receiving an answer as quickly as she would like, she began rubbing her right hand over their clasped hands and up his firm arm and shoulder. Although she wasn't threatened by Agathe, she was becoming very curious about Georg's first wife. And Georg had made it clear that he really enjoyed talking about her to Maria. Surly he wouldn't mind Maria asking questions about Agathe, would he?

"Oh – ho, no," he replied, turning to look at Maria again. "Agathe enjoyed the mountains from a distance, but she wasn't interested in climbing them or letting the children play on them. But we took the children to the stables whenever the weather was nice. Liesl, Friedrich, and Louisa all became excellent riders. And Kurt and Brigitta were in the process of learning when she died. But after we were all done riding, we'd all have a picnic lunch. Just like we do here. And we all loved it."

Maria nodded, squeezing his hand and gazing at him intently. "Thank you for sharing that memory with me." She paused for a second as they listened to the children's laughter again. Gretl had apparently begun spinning around in circles again, while the others played with the ball. Then Maria pointed to a large rock just beyond the children's game. "There's another path, just behind that rock, that is supposed to lead to the foot of the next mountain." She pointed to the mountain she was referring to, far to their left.

Georg nodded as they continued walking back towards the children again. Cheerful birds chirped in the distance, adding to Maria's joyful mood. Gretl twirled herself over to their direction. "Fraulein Maria says this is the perfect brook for wading, Father!" she exclaimed, pointing to a small brook that flowed directly behind them. She immediately began taking off her shoes and socks to put her feet in the water. "That feels soooo good."

Maria stared at Gretl's feet in the cool water, thinking about how much she'd enjoy wadding as well. But she wasn't sure doing it in front of Georg was a good idea. But as Gretl splashed her feet around in the water, Louisa and Kurt suddenly appeared and took off their shoes and stockings as well.

Maria examined her finance's reaction closely, as she wasn't sure he would approve of this activity for the older children. Was it "proper behavior" for aristocrats? But to Maria's surprise, Georg had a tender smile on his face as he watched all of his children wade, laughing as they skipped along the brook. Once again, Maria longed to take her own shoes and stockings off. There was nothing like cool water on your feet after you'd been walking for at least an hour on a warm day. When Liesl appeared and gently dipped her bare feet into the brook, Maria could stand it no longer. She sat on a large rock to remove her shoes and stockings, leaving them in the same spot all of the children had left theirs, and dipped her bare feet in the water. She sighed, enjoying the freedom of wiggling her toes as the liquid covered her feet.

Suddenly Maria realized Georg was staring at her. Or rather, staring at her feet with intense desire. He didn't normally stare at her like that in front of the children. Maria felt herself blush beat red, realizing this was the first time he'd seen her take off _any_ of her clothing before. Perhaps she should have kept her stockings on, after all. She began reaching for them slowly, reluctant to take her feet out of the wonderfully cool water…But Georg shook his head sharply. And to Maria's shock, he sat down next to her and began taking off his _own_ stockings and shoes.

Gretl and Louisa laughed with delight as they saw their father get ready to wade as well. Friedrich, Marta, and Brigitta made their way to the brook, eager to join in on the fun.

Georg grinned smugly as he put his bare feet right next to Maria's, letting them rub against hers. She couldn't believe how _intimate_ it felt to rub their feet together. Although they were sitting next to each other, they were still fully clothed otherwise. And nothing else was touching. But somehow, having their bare feet move against each other in the water made her feel closer to him than she had last Friday night, sitting on his lap. And it was a very nice feeling.

She rubbed her smaller feet against his larger ones, the brook water sliding against both of them. Maria couldn't believe they were doing this in full view of the children, but most of them were too busy wading themselves to pay attention to where their parent's feet were.

Liesl, who was still standing in one place, smiled softly at the two of them.

Georg gave Maria an even more intense look. One that would have scared her to death two months ago, but now it only made her more excited, feeling her insides burn in a good way. Georg then put his left foot directly on top of hers, and Maria's insides burned even more.

Then suddenly Max was standing near the brook with a strange look on his face. "Why don't we have lunch?" he asked, staring at Maria and Georg.

"Yes! I'm so hungry!" Kurt shouted, immediately climbing out of the brook and rushing to put his stockings and shoes back on.

The rest of the children also began putting their stockings and shoes back on, although not quite so quickly.

Maria and Georg sighed and did the same. "I told you Max was _always_ up to something," Georg commented as they made their way back to the picnic blanket.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max and Kurt began pulling all of the food out of the basket as fast as they could. There was a large loaf of bread and both hard and soft cheese. There were several slices of boiled ham. There was a whole bag of bright red apples. There were quarter cakes for dessert. And there was a bottle of wine for the adults. Georg gave Max a grateful look as he pulled that out, impressed that his friend had finally managed to bring the white wine that Maria preferred. Kurt grabbed the mineral water for the children at the same time. Then the boy began taking all of the food he could hold. Two apples, three slices of ham, and a quarter cake.

"Kurt!" Georg barked, shaking his head at his son's poor manners. "Remember to place the food on a plate."

Kurt immediately dropped the food he was holding and looked at the ground, trying not to appear as scared as he obviously was. Georg sighed, hoping someday his children would learn not to be afraid of him.

Fortunately, he would always have Maria to help him. She gently rubbed Georg's shoulder from her spot next to him on the blanket. It was amazing how much her touch could comfort him. Then she turned to Kurt and handed him a plate. "Remember to allow everyone else to have some food as well. Start with _one_ apple and _one_ piece of ham."

Kurt sighed and nodded as he placed one of each type of food he'd wanted on his plate.

Georg began slicing the loaf of bread for his family as Maria carefully filled a plate for Gretl. "I'd like the soft cheese, please, Fraulein Maria," said Gretl, pointing to the container.

"Me, too, please," Marta agreed. Georg was impressed with how polite his youngest daughters were. It was another area that Maria had obviously helped them. As Maria handed Gretl her plate and began spreading the soft cheese on the girl's bread, Gretl swatted a fly off her ham. Georg loved the fact that everyone enjoyed this picnic as much as they had when Agathe was alive.

 _Once again Georg, recalled all the wonderful picnics he and his children had with Agathe. The children would return their horse to the stable, making sure the animal wasn't hurt. He and Agathe would complement them on their ride and make suggestions for improvements when it was necessary. Occasionally, Georg would ride as well, but as Agathe was usually pregnant, he preferred to be close to his wife._

 _As soon as the horses were taken care of, Agathe would retrieve the picnic basket that Georg had been hiding all morning, and they would set it up at their table. Friedrich would attack the picnic basket just as Kurt and Max had this morning. Agathe would gently remind him to share, and select food for Brigitta and Kurt. After her children were taken care of, Agathe would finally begin eating herself. They would all enjoy their meal in the rare sun, and the children particularly enjoyed the smell of the horses and dirt. Agathe would caution Kurt not to fall backwards, as the bench had no backing. Everyone loved it, even joking the flies that invited themselves to their picnics._

As Georg's mind returned to the present, he chuckled a little as a fly landed on his bread and cheese. Giving it a swat, he sunk his teeth into the taste of fluffy bread and hard cheese. "How many of you remember the picnics at the stable we used have with your mother?"

Maria smile grew as he asked the children about their memories of Agathe and her eyes showed her immense love for him. Georg thought it was wonderful that Maria wasn't threatened when they spoke of his first wife. On the contrary, she wanted to hear as much about her as possible. Of course she wanted the children to speak about Agathe as well.

Liesl smiled fondly. "I recall them well, Father. Mother always made certain we had plenty of food, and she never began eating until the little ones were all set. We all had such a great time."

Gerog nodded, happy that his oldest daughter remembered the same thing he did.

"Although I seem to remember Friedrich always claimed there wasn't enough to eat," she added with a sly glance at her brother.

"I did no such thing!" Friedrich protested, shaking his head.

"Yes," said Georg, with a michievous grin. "Liesl is correct. There was a time when you ate as much as Kurt does now."

"I rememeber sitting on Mama's lap at the stables," said Brigitta with a dreamy smile on his face.

"You did that many times," Georg agreed with a nod. He couldn't believe he'd forbidden his children from speaking about their mother for so long. It was obvious speaking about her made them happy. And Marta and Gretl were soaking up this conversation with eager eyes. They needed to hear about Agathe, too.

Yet some things _did_ change, unfortunately, as he was reminded when Liesl began staring at the bottle of wine. "May I have a glass of wine, Father?" she asked, _far_ too confidently for his taste.

"No, Liesl," he told her in his Captain voice. "Here is the mineral water. We have had this conversation before, as you will recall."

"Yes, but wine is not the same as champagne, is it? Doesn't it have less effect on a person?"

His oldest daughter knew too much about wine and champagne for Georg's comfort. "It's similar enough," he told her as he shook her head. "My answer remains the same. Now let's not ruin this nice day with arguments," he told her as he handed her the mineral water.

Liesl sighed and poured herself a drink of the water.

Georg felt Maria's eyes on him but he would not be swayed on this issue. Instead he took the bottle of wine and handed a glass to her.

Maria shook her head as she accepted the glass. "What am I going to do with you, Georg?" she asked in a teasing voice.

Georg gave her one of his classic superior looks, enjoying the chance to win an argument with the children _and_ Maria. Lion's pride swelled up inside him, and his grin grew even more.

Max simply laughed and poured himself another glass of wine to go with his quarter cake.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Georg finished munching on the last of his quarter cake, letting the sweet taste fill his mouth as he swallowed. The rest of his family seemed to be finishing as well, although Kurt and Max both tried to take the last cake at the same time. Kurt succeeded and grinned at Max as he placed it in his mouth.

"All right, time to clean up," Maria instructed all the children in her gentle but firm manner. Liesl and Friedrich picked up all the empty food containers and placed them back in the basket. Brigitta gathered all the plates while Marta and Gretl appeared proud to be taking care of everyone's silverware. Louisa took care of everyone's glasses. Maria had obviously given them all certain clean up duties for their picnics, which they were willing to obey without trouble. Once again Georg marveled at how easy she was able to make them mind her. He smiled at his Maria, letting her know how much he appreciated her.

Well, almost all of the children were minding Maria's instructions, that is, Georg thought to himself as he looked at Kurt, who had finished his quarter cake and looked like he was ready to run off. "Kurt!" Georg snapped at his youngest son. "Aren't you supposed to help your brother and sisters clean up?"

Kurt's eyes became panicked as he sat back down. "Yes, sir," he replied in a quiet voice.

"Kurt," Maria said to him gently but firmly. "You know you were supposed to help Liesl and Friedrich put away the empty food containers. Do you think it's fair that everyone else did their job and you did not?"

Kurt sighed and shook his head.

"I'm glad you realized that. I don't want to see you do this again," Maria told him, shaking her head in obvious disappointment.

Kurt nodded.

"Now run along and play," she told the boy, smiling to show she forgave him.

Kurt brightened. "There's this great section of rocks that I want to explore, right over there," he commented, pointing to a group of large boulders that were glistening in the sunlight. "I bet they'll be even more fun to climb than trees!"

Friedrich nodded, looking interested in the rocks as well. "I wonder how many different types of rocks there are over there! In science class, we're told there are so many different types of rocks. Sandstone, limestone, marble, soapstone, and so many others!" Georg looked at his son with interest. He hadn't realized his oldest son was so fascinated by rocks. Was this recent or was it another thing Georg had missed in the last few years? He made a mental note to ask Fiedrich about it.

Louisa grinned as well. "I bet there's all kinds of creatures waiting for me to find there, too!"

"Just make sure the creatures stay _here_ , Louisa," Maria cautioned, as she leaned her warm body against Georg's while she stretched her adorable feel out on the blanket. "Remember what happened last time I agreed to let you keep the spiders."

Louisa hung her head for a second before running toward the rocks and her brothers.

Marta suddenly tugged on Maria's skirt. "Fraulein Maria, how do you sing 'The Lonely Goatherd?'"

Maria smiled to the girl and stood up, much to Georg's disappointment. Still, he did enjoy watching Maria with Gretl. She wrapped her arm around his youngest daughter and began using her beautiful voice to sing the song Gretl had asked about. Gretl looked up at Maria eagerly, as did Marta.

But as Maria began the yodeling, Georg immediately experienced an intense physical reaction. Her clear voice making the traditional Austrian sound made him more aroused than when she sat on his lap and when they went wading together combined. It made some sense, he supposed. It was, after all, Maria's yodeling that allowed to recognize how deep his attraction for Maria really was, when she'd performed that song the first time. And now that they were happily engaged, everything between them was so much more intense. But whatever the reason, it took all of Georg's self – control not to jump Maria right now.

Liesl and Brigitta joined in, assisting Maria in helping Marta and Gretl with the song and the whole mountain filled with lovely vocal music. His Maria smiled at each of them as she kept singing and yodeling, completely unaware how she was affecting him. That idea caused Georg to become even more heated than he already was. He had always found Maria's naturalness and innocence incredibly attractive. Unable to bare it, he began undoing the top two buttons of his shirt and shifting his position on the blanket.

Suddenly Max stood up and made his way to Maria and the children. He tried to appear causal, but Georg knew better by the determined gleam in his friend's eye. "Can you sing that song again for Uncle Max again?" he asked the children, brightly. "Right over here?" Max pointed to a selection of edelweiss growing about ten feet away.

Liesl, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl smiled and did so. Usually Georg would watch Max with suspicion when his friend suggested his family sing. He had to make certain Max didn't have any more ideas about his family singing in the festival, after all. But now Georg could only think of one thing after listening to Maria's yodeling for the last five minutes. Having her to himself so he could relieve some of his tension. The mountain breeze on his exposed upper chest certainly wasn't cooling him off at all. He took Maria's and quickly pulled her in the other direction. "Come with me," he commanded her. He could hear the girls singing and the other children playing around the boulders in the background, but Georg was entirely focused on being with Maria as soon as possible. Perhaps he didn't have as much self – control as everyone had always assumed.

"Georg, what – " Maria began before he attacked her lips with one of the most intense, desperate kisses he'd ever given, using both of his hands to pull him as close to him as he could. He loved the taste of her sweet nectar and the memories of her yodeling drove him even further. Fortunately, Maria responded immediately, kissing him back just as desperately and wrapping one hand around his neck and the other into his hair. His obvious arousal didn't seem to bother her, either, considering how eagerly she'd pressed her body to his.

"Your yodeling drives me wild," he murmured to her as he moved his lips to her neck and her beautiful vocal cords that made those sounds. His nose filled with the scent of sunshine, mountain, and Maria as he covered her neck with kisses. "Did you know that?"

Maria moaned in response, so Georg kissed her again. This time Maria's hands ended up playing with open chest and Georg gave a deep groan, wondering how this was going to end.

Suddenly they both heard a sharp cry of pain from the section rocks where Fiedrich, Louisa, and Kurt were playing. Like a bucket of ice water, their moods immediately changed as they pulled away from each other.

"Friedrich!" Louisa's voice screamed in horror.

 ***See "The Music Room" for details.**

 **Thank you very much for all the birthday reviews! (And although it isn't my birthday any longer I hope some of you will still review this chapter as well.)**

 **Here your responses to the last one.**

 **Guest # 1: Masterpiece? Thank you very, very much. It seems a lot of people thought the last chapter was quite good, anyway.**

 **HY: Thank you. Here's your new chapter.**

 **Sarah: Thank you. Glad to hear you enjoyed the steaminess in the last chapter. Hope you enjoy the steamy moments in this one, too.**

 **Giulia: Glad you enjoy my writing. In my mind, Georg is a private person, so singing that song to anyone but Maria would not be acceptable. And it's particularly important that Maria (who is** _ **very**_ **"open" about everything) learns to accept that. After all, accepting the person as they are is an extremely important part of developing a healthy relationship with a significant other.**

 **B. Idol: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy the flashbacks so much, as they are an essential part of the story I'm trying to tell.**

 **Bloomandgrow: Glad you enjoyed all the reoccurring themes in this chapter. In a multi – chapter story, I think it's particularly important to show how the previous chapters are effecting the current ones.**

 **And of course Georg and Agathe's music. We know from canon that they shared a love of music as well, so I wanted to do that justice. But I also wanted to choose something a little different than vocal music, because I don't really like the idea that Agathe was "exactly like Maria."**

 **Actually, most of the children weren't aware that Georg had given Louisa the violin, as he did so after they were all in their rooms. Since Brigitta shares a room with Louisa, she knew, but that's it. They probably had some squabbles about it the next day (or subsequently). If I can find a place for it, I'll try to put it in.**

 **Srhittson: Glad you enjoyed the last one. I tried to find a place for what you asked for, but was unable to find one. I need to create a balance between the realistic temptations that a happily in love and engaged couple who are living in the same household would face, and violating my T – rating and/or my own principles.**

 **Guest # 2: Glad you enjoyed the idea of Agathe's violin (and that you enjoyed chapter 8 so much).**

 **Kiwihipp: Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and a special thanks to the information about Saturday school in Germany. This story takes place in Austria, of course. But they have a very similar culture to Germany, so I use a lot of information about Germany to write this.**


	12. Children in Pain

Children in Pain

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **. Also, the format for the flashbacks comes from watching (and reading) OUAT.**

 **Warning: This chapter is a bit angsty**

Georg made his way to Friedrich almost faster than the speed of a bullet, and Maria ran next to him at the same speed. As soon as they arrived at the foot of the boulders, Kurt exclaimed, "There's something wrong with Friedrich's foot!" Georg heart beated faster and faster in fear, but he knew he couldn't show how scared he really was. His face remained netural, as always.

Louisa nodded. "It's that one, Father," she commented, pointing to her brother's left foot, which was caught between two of the large rocks.

Georg carefully pulled his son's foot out to exam it. Indeed, Friedrich's left foot seemed to be twisted in an unnatural position. "We must take you to the hospital," Georg sighed. "It might be broken, son." He shook his head as he stared at his son's injured ankle again. Maria attempted to soothe Friedrich's pain by stroking his arm, while using the other hand to squeeze Georg's arm.

Friedrich, however, didn't appreciate the gesture as he shook Maria's hand off. "Don't worry about me," he said firmly. "I'll be fine." The boy was obviously trying to appear strong. Georg was impressed with the fact that Friedrich hadn't screamed in pain since the first time they heard him. Although the slight moans of pain he was currently uttering, contradicted Friedrich's statement.

But even if Friedrich's pain wasn't tearing at his and Maria's hearts, Georg would still insist on taking his son to the hospital. "Son, you _need_ to go to the hospital. That's not a natural position for it to be in," he pointed to Friedrich's ankle. "If we don't take you, it will only get worse."

Friedrich nodded.

"It's not that bad, Friedrich," Kurt commented with a smile. "I remember when I broke my arm when I was six. They give you this interesting cast while your bone heals, and everyone at school will want to know how you broke it."

Friedrich smiled at his brother in response.

"You must try to stay off your ankle, son," Georg continued. "Lean on Maria and I, and we'll take you to the picnic basket."

Friedrich nodded, uttering a soft moan of pain again despite the fact that he was biting his lip to avoid such weaknesses. The noise slashed at Georg's heart like a sword, and he wished he could do more for his son right now.

"Put one arm here," Georg commanded, pointing to his left shoulder. Friedrich scooted to the edge of the rocks and did so. "And put your other arm on Maria's," Georg finished. "Then you should be able to walk without putting pressure on your ankle."

Friedrich did so and the three of them made it back to the picnic basket, where Max and the girls were already sitting. Kurt and Louisa walked aside Georg and Maria, clearly trying to make sure their older brother was all right.

Georg and Maria helped Friedrich sit down with his left foot stretched out. A few more moans of pain slipped from the boy's mouth, despite his efforts to hold them in. Each one chipped away at Georg's heart, and from the expression on Maria's face, Friedrich's pain made her feel the same way. "He'll be fine when we get him to the hospital," Georg whispered to her, trying to reassure himself at the same time.

Gretl stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Are you really going to be all right, Friedrich?" she asked.

"Of course, Gretl," Friedrich assured his youngest sister. Georg appreciated the brave smile Friedrich gave her. "Don't worry about me."

"Why does your ankle look so funny – "

"I heard you scream, Friedrich, of course I'm going to worry – "

"Is there anything I can do – "

"Oh, Friedrich – "

So many voices at the same time caused too much chaos. And then Georg would _never_ be able to help his son. Therefore, in a loud, commanding voice, he spoke over everyone. "Silence!" Then he announced, "Maria and I will take Friedrich to the hospital. The rest of you will stay with Liesl and Max until the train arrives. Understand?"

The children all nodded. While he spoke, Georg also looked for the ice the cook had wrapped to keep their picnic chilled. Some ice may help the boy's injury. Unfortunately, not much ice had been placed in the basket and the unusually warm sun had melted what was there. He couldn't stop the curse word that escaped from his lips as Georg realized he couldn't do this for Friedrich. In addition to the way Friedrich's pain slashed at his heart, Georg felt like a ton of bricks was on top of him. Once again, he had failed to protect a member of his family. He grasped the useless green cloth that the ice had been wrapped in and began fiddling with it, almost without even noticing he was doing so. How was he going to help Friedrich now?

"Come Friedrich, Maria and I will take you down the mountain," he decided. It wouldn't be easy to take a boy with an injured ankle down a mountain, but Friedrich needed to see the doctor as soon as possible. They didn't have time to wait for the train.

But as Maria stood up, she shook her head. "Wait, Georg. You were looking for ice for Friedrich's ankle?"

"Yes, but there is no ice!" he snapped at her, not happy to be reminded of that.

Maria shook her head. "I know where a spot where there should be some snow on this mountain. Even on a warm day like today. Snow is almost as good as ice, right?"

Georg suddenly looked at her with awe. She had saved the day, again. "It's better than nothing. Can you get it quickly?"

Maria nodded, picking up the green blanket as she did so. "Yes. There's a path right over there," she pointed to a grove of trees near the boulders were Friedrich had injured himself. "That will take me to near the top of the mountain," she finished already running to her destination.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Georg and Maria helped Friedrich down the mountain after his foot was wrapped in the cold snow. He was grateful that Maria knew this mountain as well as she did. She showed both of them the fastest way back to Salzburg without taking the train. As Friedrich leaned on Maria and him, Georg wondered again where his family would be without such a wonderful woman who seemed to have so many answers. "Thank you," he told her once again, as she pointed to the next direction for them to head towards.

But although Friedrich was doing a marvelous job trying to be strong and not let the pain get to him, Georg couldn't help but notice his winces and small moans as they made their way down the mountain. Would the snow melt too early? Should they have waited for the train, after all? Georg had thought it was better to get him to the doctor quickly, rather than wait another two hours for the train to arrive. And since Maria knew the best routes from the mountain to Salzburg, they would be able to arrive faster this way. Still Friedrich could have rested more if they had taken the train...

Another moan escaped the boy's lips, and Georg felt a knife drive itself into his heart. His decision was giving his son even more pain. One more reason why he was a terrible father.

Eventually, the three of them arrived in Salzburg, and Georg immediately phoned Franz and demanded he take them to the hospital. As soon as they arrived in the building, some of the bricks lifted from Georg's back. He had delivered Friedrich to the doctors, who would heal him. Perhaps he hadn't been able to protect his son from the injury, but he _had_ provided the solution.

Dr. Schulz, a bald doctor whom had treated Kurt for his broken arm several years earlier, soon arrived into the room and directed Friedrich to the X – ray room. "Your ankle is injured I see?" the doctor asked Friedrich in a serious voice.

"It's not that bad," Friedrich shook his head, trying to be strong again.

Dr. Schulz shook his head. "Given your ankle's position and how much it's swelled, I think it _is_ "that bad," he told the boy firmly.

Georg looked down at his son's wrapped ankle again as they helped him into the X – ray room. The doctor was correct. Friedrich's ankle had grown significantly since they'd left their picnic spot. And was it even more twisted than it had been before?

"You did well to wrap your son's ankle, Captain," the doctor told him as he undid the wet cloth. All the snow was melted now, of course. And given how much Friedrich's ankle had swelled, it probably hadn't even done much for him at all. The doctor was probably only saying that to try to make Georg feel better. "Now I need you to leave the room while I turn on the machine."

Georg nodded and left with Maria following after him. "I hope he recovers soon," Maria commented. "When I saw his ankle after the doctor unwrapped it…" She trailed off, apparently unable to continue. It was such a rare thing for her not to have anything to say, Georg knew it showed how upset she was.

He took her hand and gave it a firm squeeze to comfort her. "That's the same doctor who took care of Kurt when he broke his arm five years ago. Friedrich is in good hands," he told Maria in a confident voice. 

Maria nodded. "That's good to know," she replied as she squeezed his hand in return.

After several silent moments while Georg tried to find five different places to put his hands, he finally sighed. "I think we should have taken him on the train with Max and the other children," he admitted in a small voice. "Trying to climb down the mountain like that could have made his ankle worse."

Maria looked at him full of surprise. "But the doctor said you did a good job wrapping it. He seems to think you made the right decision."

"I think he might be just humoring me," Georg grumbled. "I just can't seem to do the right thing for our children."

Maria took both of Georg's hands, which were still wiggling, in hers. "Listen to me," she said in her Captain Voice. "You knew _exactly_ how to take care of Friedrich's injury and you did a wonderful job as a father today. And Friedrich will recover soon. He has a great doctor taking care of him, just like you told me." With that she squeezed both of his hands.

Georg nodded, trying to let his heart and his brain accept Maria's wonderful wisdom.

"Well, I've finished examining the X – rays," Dr. Schulz announced. "Friedrich's ankle isn't broken, but it _is_ sprained. He'll have to stay off of it for at least three weeks." Another load of bricks lifted from Georg's back at that. He may have failed to protect his son today, but at least Friedrich wasn't injured as much as he'd feared. "You should be able to take him home, however, since you will be able to provide him with crutches." Georg nodded, extremely relieved to hear that his son could return home with them with the rest of their family.

"Is there any medication we should give him?" Maria asked the doctor immediately, looking him in the eyes.

Dr. Schulz's eyes flashed with surprise but he replied, "An aspirin if his pain is bad, but only every few hours."

Maria nodded, and then continued, "Is there anything else he needs when he arrives at home?"

Dr. Schulz's eyes rose with even more surprise. Georg smiled a little, despite the serious situation. He wondered if Dr. Schulz was used to a woman like Maria, asking questions before the doctor could even provide her with information. Probably not. He'd never forget how much Maria shocked him with her questions when they first met. Still, the doctor didn't seem to mind her questions as much as Georg had. "You'll need to keep his foot elevated whenever possible. And ice as well, to help reduce the swelling. I will provide you with a wrap before you leave."

Maria nodded again and then fired off another question. "Will he need to stay home from school? You told us he had to rest for three weeks, but then mentioned he could use crutches."

The doctor nodded. "As long as he rests at home for the next two days he can attend school. Just make certain he rests whenever possible. Now, I will make a bandage for his foot." With that Dr. Schulz returned to the room Friedrich was in.

Georg was reminded again how much Maria resembled Agathe, although Agathe wasn't nearly as outspoken as Maria was, so she would never shoot off questions like that to a doctor almost before he had chance to speak. But Agathe always listened eagerly as the doctor instructed how to care for the children's injuries and illnesses.

 _When Kurt broke his arm, Agathe was four months pregnant with Gretl, but that didn't stop her from visiting Kurt every day in the hospital. She'd arrive with her warm, gentle smile and offer him a drink, making certain he was comfortable. A few times, she'd convince Georg to buy Kurt a box of candy or a new toy, which Kurt would accept enthusiastically. She always asked him if the doctors and nurses were treating him properly and make sure he wasn't in too much pain._

 _Even when Kurt came home, Agathe still fussed over him. She followed the doctor's instructions exactly. Agathe provided him with pain medication and made certain his arm stayed in the splint. She also did her best to entertain him with indoor activities, considering Kurt was unable go in the water or ride his bicycle._

Maria and Agathe both had different ways of handling the doctor, but they clearly took care of their injured children the same way, Georg thought to himself as he watched Maria ask if Friedrich was comfortable while the doctor wrapped up his foot. With love. And the love he had for both of them overwhelmed him as he thought what good care they took of the children when they were injured.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOO

When Maria, Georg, and Friedrich arrived back at the villa, Max and the other children still weren't home. So they immediately helped Friedrich to his room, although the boy insisted on balancing his brand – new crutches himself. Maria couldn't help but notice how similar Friedrich was to his father, especially today. Both were very proud. "Good job," Maria told him when he finally arrived in his upstairs room at the end of the hall.

Georg stepped into the room as Friedrich set aside his crutches and climbed onto his bed. "Yes, I'm proud of you for how you handled what happened to you today, son," he commented.

Friedrich beamed at both of their praise and Maria beamed at Georg in turn. It was so nice to see him complimenting his son, without even her prompting. Then Georg quickly left the room, leaving Friedrich and Maria alone.

"Now the doctor said to keep your foot elevated, so put it up here, on this pillow," Maria instructed him in a gentle but firm manner. She pointed to a plain white pillow that was on the bottom of Friedrich's bed. Frau Schmidt had retrieved it from one of the closets. "And your ice should be here any moment. From the ice box this time."

Friedrich nodded, seeming to be trying to relax.

"Now you must be certain you stay off you left foot whenever possible," Maria reminded him. "After school, you will immediately return to this room. Even your meals will be taken in here for a time."

"Yes, of course," Friedrich agreed, nodding. He seemed to be in less pain than he was earlier, to Maria's immense relief.

Just then, Frau Schmidt arrived with the ice. "This will help with the swelling," Maria commented, placing the ice around his foot.

"Now do you need any aspirin?" Maria asked, trying to look closely at his face to see if he was concealing his pain again. He was _definitely_ just like his father.

"No, Fraulein Maria," Friedrich shook his head. 

Maria studied his face again. He didn't appear to be in pain. Certainly not like he was this afternoon. Still, she wasn't as good at reading Friedrich as she was his proud, stubborn father. "All right, but let me know if you need some later. Do you want any books to look at? Your homework? Remember you'll have to stay there."

Friedrich thought for a moment. "Yes, please bring my homework from the school room. But I already have plenty of books to look at in this room." He pointed to his book shelf, which housed books about seafaring, Austrian history, and several different kinds of science books.

Maria put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "No, Friedrich! Those books are all the way on the other side of the room. Tell me which ones you would like right now, and I will get them for you."

Friedrich sighed and grumbled, "The book about rocks, and the one about sailing in the Mediterranean."

Maria quickly pulled those books off the shelf and went to retrieve his homework from the other room.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day the other children brought the puppets into Friedrich's room and performed another small show. Maria appreciated how they wanted to make their brother smile and help keep him in bed. She made certain to tell them how much they helped. Then Maria asked Frau Schmidt to retrieve some more ice for his ankle and his dinner. Maria was determined to make certain that Friedrich was well – cared for. She hated to see her children in pain. Besides, Maria also remembered how lonely it could be when a child was recovering from an injury. Her uncle had once broken Maria's arm, and having no one to care for her injury was almost worse than the injury itself.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

When Friedrich returned home from school the next day, he returned to his room, just as he was supposed to, to Maria's relief. She was almost certain she'd heard him grumble in pain as he went up the stairs, even though he tried to claim he wasn't bothered. Maria told Frau Schmidt to bring him an aspirin as well as the ice anyway. She was learning how to handle proud, stubborn men. Both older and younger.

OOOOOOOOOO 

Maria spent much of the next few days in Friedrich's room, making sure the boy was as comfortable as possible and was keeping off his foot. She made certain he had food and regular supplies of ice. She also finally convinced him to ask for aspirins when his ankle was especially painful.

"Did you know a sprained ankle is caused by too much strain on ligaments, Fraulein Maria?" Friedrich asked excitedly on afternoon after he arrived in his bedroom again.

Maria placed more ice on his ankle and then turned to look at him. "Really?" she replied, interested in something he was excited about.

"Yes," Friedrich nodded and pulled out his biology textbook. "And _everyone_ has them. They are what connect our bones together." He held up a picture of an ankle ligament. "See?"

Maris smiled. Friedrich had always had an aptitude for science and math. She'd found that out quickly this past summer. It was nice that he was using his gift to his advantage to learn more about his injury. "Yes, I do." Then she exited the room. She should go see other children as well.

OOOOOOOOOOO

The next afternoon, Maria was about to enter Friedrick's room after he arrived home from school when Georg blocked her path. "Let Frau Schmidt do that from now on," he commanded, giving her one of his hard stares.

Maria looked at him with her eyes widened in shock. Didn't he know by now that look didn't work on her? "Why? Frau Schmidt has enough work to do, cleaning this large house. And I like to make certain Friedrich is healing."

"It still shouldn't be your responsibility!" he snapped.

"It most certainly should be!" Maria replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Because I care about Friedrich. You're always telling me I have a mother's heart for the children. What else to you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to spend your time _away_ from him while he's recovering," Georg roared, pounding his fist in the air. "There are plenty of other things for you to do."

"I'm not neglecting the other children, if that's what you're implying," Maria bit back. "And they're worried about their brother, too. They're always asking me about him. And don't worry, the wedding is coming along, too."

"Is that what you think this is about?" Georg sounded shocked, despite his anger. "Your precious wedding at the cathedral? Yes, that's what I'm worried about! Maria, don't be ridiculous."

Maria shook her head, hurt that it sounded like their wedding meant so little to him. " _I'm_ not the one being ridiculous. Friedrich needs someone to take care of him as long as he's ankle is injured, and I _will_ be the one to do it. I thought you were over getting so wrapped up in yourself that you don't care about your children! _I'm_ going to be a decent parent, considering you have decided to be a terrible father."

With that Maria marched off to Friedrich's room, eager to spend time in a much more reasonable person's company. "Hello, Friedrich," she greeted the boy as he set his ankle on the pillow she kept propped up for him. "Frau Schmidt should bring in some ice soon. Did you have a good day in school?"

Friedrich shrugged. "It was fine. Listen, I think Father might be correct. I don't need you to baby me, Fraulein Maria. I can take care of my ankle myself."

Maria sighed. Proud, stubborn men indeed! "I'm sure you can, but sometimes it's better to have help anyway. No matter what your father says." She watched his face carefully, looking for signs he was concealing any pain. When she saw the boy grimace and bite his lip, Maria knew she needed to tell Frau Schmidt to bring in an aspirin.

OOOOOOOOOO

Dinner was quite tense that night, considering Maria and Georg were still angry at each other. Maria did her best to focus on the children and Max, but concealing her emotions wasn't something she would ever be good at. So she continued snap at her fiancé despite herself and Georg continued to give her angry, fire – y looks. Max did his best to defuse the situation by telling as many jokes as he could, with Kurt's assistance. But by the end of the evening, everyone at the table seemed to be as tense as Maria used to be when Sister Berthe caught her doing something against the abbey rules.

After dinner, Maria was about to go upstairs to assist the older children with their homework, when Georg suddenly stopped her and whispered, "We need to talk."

Maria nodded, looking into his eyes and noticing he didn't appear as angry as before. Perhaps he'd be a bit more reasonable this time? "Gretl, Marta, how would you like to go into the drawing room and listen to the gramophone with Uncle Max?" she asked, knowing this was a conversation they needed to have without others listening, especially the children.

The girls eagerly agreed. Gretl bounced into the next room and Marta carefully dragged her uncle away. Max simply shrugged his shoulders and went along with it.

"So what is it?" Maria asked as soon as the others disappeared from the dining room. "Are you ready for an intelligent conversation this time? I know you want Friedrich to be a strong man, but he _still_ needs someone to look after his ankle while he's injured."

Georg sighed and nodded. "I…know," he told her slowly and carefully the way he normally did when he had to admit he'd been wrong about something. He quickly led her out of the room as Franz arrived to take care of the dirty dishes. "And love the way you take care of the children, especially when they're hurt. Your assistance certainly made a big difference last Saturday when his ankle was sprained." He turned and looked into her eyes again as they arrived in the hallway.

Maria nodded, remembering how much he'd appreciated her help last weekend. It was one of the reasons why his change in attitude was so confusing. "So what was the problem today?"

Georg shook his head. "I panicked, Maria. All the sudden I saw you spending a lot of time with one of my children when he was hurt and….well, it reminded me too much of Agathe. When she was taking care Brigitta's scarlet fever. She caught the disease because she took such good care of Brigitta, you see."

Maria nodded, trying to understand his rational. "But Friedrich sprained ankle isn't contagious!"

"I know that!" he snapped at her, despite trying to speak more calmly as he explained things. "And as soon as I realized what my problem was, I knew it didn't make sense. But I'm afraid seeing my family ill or in pain in any way makes a practical man like me into a fool with ridiculous ideas. I thought I finally put these kind of things past me, but I'm sorry, Maria. I haven't."

Maria's heart went out to him as he struggled with how his dark past continued to affect his present. "What happened with Agathe?" she asked, trying to understand better. "Can you tell me about it?"

Georg's face darkened as he prepared to face some of his toughest memories, and he was quiet for several minutes. Maria reached out and took his hand, hoping to remind him that she was there for him. And yet, Georg still said nothing. Maria was beginning to think he'd decided not to share how Agathe died with her, when he Georg finally began speaking. " _Kurt came home with classic strep throat late one autumn. Terrible sore throat, hoarse cough, and a mild fever. We hated to see him suffer, of course. Especially such a cheerful boy like Kurt, who wants to make everyone smile. Agathe took care of him, just like she did when all of the children were sick or injured, even though Gretl was still an infant and needed a lot of care as well. She gave him chamomile tea to soothe his throat and gave him regular sponge baths to bring his fever down. But Agathe and I weren't very worried about Kurt. We knew he would recover, as strep throat isn't a serious illness. All the children have had it, at one time or another. Louisa and Brigitta used to get it every year._

 _And then…"_ Georg's voice stopped for several minutes.

"I'm here," Maria told him gently, squeezing his arm.

He seemed to span the hallway, probably making sure they were still alone. Then Georg continued, _"Brigitta caught Kurt's strep throat. It was unfortunate, but of course, she'd had that before. Agathe took care of Brigitta, just like she'd done with Kurt. But the winter weather arrived, and…I don't know, but she developed scarlet fever. I remember Agathe's horror when she realized Brigitta had the spotted rash. So she threw herself into taking care of Brigitta's every need. She brought her even more chamomile tea. Agathe constantly sponge bathed her to rid her of her high fever. Of course, she read Brigitta everything we had, knowing how much that girl loves books. She constantly asked me to buy more, and I was happy to do so. Anything to help Brigitta feel better, right?_

It never even occurred to me that Agathe might catch scarlet fever," Georg continued, shaking his head. "I was told it was a children's disease, and most adults didn't have problems with it. If it had been the flu, I might have understood. I still remember how horrible the flu was for everyone in 1918."

Maria nodded. "I know," she told him. "My parents, they caught the flu in one of those epidemics." Her eyes widened when she suddenly realized what she'd said. She didn't like to think about this. But the look on Georg's face encouraged her to continue. "I was told they…recovered," she continued as she swallowed a lump in her throat. "And then…the pneumonia hit and I…." She blinked her eyes, as she had stopped crying for her parents a long time ago.

Georg immediately wrapped her in his warm embrace. "Thank you for telling me," she heard his deep voice say from her position on his chest. Maria let herself rest there for another couple of moments before, she pulled her head off his chest to look into his eyes again. He stayed silent for another moment before he took another deep breath and continued.

" _Agathe and I quarantined Brigitta from the other children. Louisa moved in with Liesl, and the other children were told not to play with her until she was completely recovered. Agathe was the only one who interacted with her. Of course, she was happy to do anything to help Brigitta, and I wanted my daughter to recover as well. I just…"_ Georg stopped again.

Maria both of his hands and squeezed them. "Just what?" she prompted. 

_I never thought I'd lose my wife as a result,"_ he finished bitterly. " _The doctors said between all the time Agathe had spent with Brigitta and her weakened immune system because of Gretl…there was nothing they could do. Knowing Brigitta was suffering was_ nothing _compared to seeing Agathe with the spotted rash, high fever, and painful throat. And there wasn't anything I could do! At. All."_

Was her heart still beating? Maria couldn't be certain after listening to Georg remember that painful time. "Thank you for sharing that with me," she told him sincerely, and wrapped her arms around him tightly hoping to relieve them both of the pain.

Georg sighed and pulled her face so he could look into her eyes. "I suppose seeing you interact with Friedrich so much while he's confined to the bed brought that all back. By the time I realized what was happening to Agathe, the doctors said it was too late. If I could have realized it earlier, perhaps I could have protected her from Brigitta somehow. But of course, you're right again. Friedrich isn't contagious and he'll recover better with your help. I was being a terrible father again." Georg grumbled that last line.

Maria shook her head sharply, pulling her face out of his hands and flopping her blond hair all over her face. "No, Georg I never should have said that! I'm so sorry. You know how my mouth runs away with me sometimes. You're a good father. Look how well you were able to help Friedrich on Saturday. You just occasionally make mistakes."

"I make a _lot_ of mistakes with parenting you mean," he grumbled a second time, holding her tighter. Then he reached up and gently fixed her hair back in place. "And as for Saturday, I think _you_ helped Friedrich more than I did. It's a good thing I have you to depend on." With that, he leaned in and gave her a kiss.

After a few moments, they reluctantly withdrew, however. They both remembered how intense things had become between them last Saturday. How much further would they have gone if Friedrich hadn't screamed? Maria liked to think not much further, considering the children had been nearby, but it was difficult to tell. So they were both making a conscious effort not to spend much time alone together until the wedding. It was next weekend, after all. They could handle it. "Let's go see what Marta, and Gretl are doing."

Georg nodded. "And Max. Sometimes that man is worse than the children," he chuckled, and led her into the drawing room.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

That night, when Maria put Marta and Gretl in bed and made certain the others were reading, Georg apologized to Friedrich.

"I'm proud of you for being so strong, Friedrich," she could hear him saying from outside the door. "But there's nothing wrong with needing Maria's care as well. Oh – ho, I'm well aware of how necessary her care can be."

"Are you sure?" Friedrich asked in an uncertain voice. "Because real men – "

"Need care as well, as much as we don't want to admit it," Georg said firmly. "In fact, I'm going to order you to accept her care." Maria felt her heart swell at that. His order proved Georg understood how important it was to Maria to take care of their son.

"All right," Friedrich said in a confused voice.

Maria smiled and entered the room at that. "Are you comfortable, Friedrich?" she asked him in a voice that demanded he tell her the truth. She inspected his face closely as she asked.

Friedrich sighed. "I'm fine right now; I'm just bored because I've had to spend the entire evening in here."

"Don't worry, Friedrich. I'm here to keep you company now!" Kurt announced, climbing into his own bed. "What do you want to hear about first? What happened at lunch today or what Uncle Max said at dinner tonight?"

Friedrich chuckled. "I'll hear about both of them soon, Kurt. First I want to speak to Father and Fraulein Maria."

Maria looked at Georg, wondering what else Friedrich had to talk to them about, now that they had cleared up the misunderstanding about Maria taking care of Friedrich's ankle. Her fiancé didn't give her any hints what Friedrich might need to say.

"The doctor said it would take three weeks for my ankle to recover, correct?" he asked them both.

"Yes," Maria and Georg answered at the same time.

"But your wedding is next weekend. So…I'm afraid I won't be able to walk you down the aisle, Fraulein Maria. I'm sorry. Unless you might consider letting me walk a week early?" he added, with hopeful, pleading eyes.

"No! You won't use your ankle until a doctor says you are able to do so," Georg commanded his son.

"No, Friedrich, you can't do something that might prevent your ankle from healing," Maria agreed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry though. I haven't even thought about that this past week. I know how much you were looking forward to that honor." The poor boy, who wanted so badly to become a man. Maria knew he'd thought this was his chance to do so. "I wish we could change the date, so your ankle would be healed for our wedding, but we can't do that this late in the planning."

Everyone in the room was quiet for a couple of moments. Even Maria and Kurt were silent, unsure how to fix this.

Finally Friedrich put his brave face on and commented, "No, you two have already waited long enough for your wedding. I know you don't want to wait any longer."

"No, we don't," Georg agreed, giving Maria one of his looks that made her burn from the inside and reminding her of their heated embraces in the last couple of weeks. No, they didn't want to wait any longer to be married.

"But Friedrich, I'm proud of you for thinking about this and assuring us that it's fine," Maria commented, looking at him with admiration. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to accept such a change in events so easily. Certainly not when she was Friedrich's age. She looked at Georg, subtly prompting him to say something as well. The boy deserved it.

"Yes, Friedrich," Georg agreed, looking straight at his son. "It's very _manly_ to accept things like this without making a fuss."

Friedrich beamed so much he almost seemed brighter than the noontime sun.

"Now that's done, you _have_ to listen to what Uncle Max said," Kurt announced, like he'd been holding in a big secret for the past ten minutes.

"Of course, Kurt," Friedrich agreed, as Maria and Georg headed downstairs to see the large jokester.

 **I don't know if any of you realize how difficult researching how they treated injuries at this time, but is one of the most difficult things for me to find out. I had to be a bit vague about the hospital and Friedrich's treatment there, etc. And for all I know, I got something wrong. (Feel free to correct me if you know I did.)**

 **Oh well, I knew it would probably be a problem from the beginning. (A friend of mine from a different fandom have a running joke at how hard it is to find medical information before the 1940s.) And at least the scarlet fever was a little easier.**

 **Here's some responses.** _ **Please**_ **keep the reviews coming, as I need them tremendously to write this story.**

 **Guest: Thank you.**

 **Srhittson: I don't write a lot of cliffhangers in my story, but this one happened to work out that way. I hope you are satisfied with the result in this chapter.**

 **Bloomandgrow: Glad you liked the whole family on the mountain. And you know how I love writing how children affect a relationship. :) Glad you liked the footsies in the brook. When I originally thought of the brook, I just thought it would be a good place for the kids to go wading. But then I realized it could be really sensual for M & G to do something as well.**

 **I did give you two Agathe flashbacks in this story, although they aren't as fluffy as most of them are.**

 **HY: I'm glad you liked the yodeling (and then some). I have a thing for couples who use unusual courtship rituals as foreplay/flirting. I do plan on writing another story about the yodeling during their honeymoon at some point. But in the meantime, if you want to read more about Maria yodeling for Georg after they're married, you should try my story "Socks for the von Trapps."**


	13. The Wedding

The Wedding

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **, and the format for the flashbacks comes from watching and reading OUAT.**

Georg stared at his children as they sat in the first pew of the cathedral. All of the children looked appropriately dressed, and he mentally patted himself on the back for buying the correct clothing for each of his children. Liesl, Marta, and Gretl's cream – colored dresses appeared particularly nice on them, so he knew they had been fitted properly. But though the children looked appropriate, most of them weren't acting their best. Louisa and Kurt wiggled and squirmed around in the pew. Gretl wasn't even sitting down. Instead, she marched around the family pew area, holding her flowers. All of them constantly asked when Fraulein Maria would appear.

Ordinarily Georg would snap at them for their undisciplined behavior. But honestly, he was rather impatient to see Maria himself today. And he was also having a hard time keeping still, Georg thought to himself as he pulled off one of his gloves for the fifth time. Besides, they all had to arrive much earlier than expected, just after Saturday school let out for the older children in fact, so Friedrich could make the long trip down the aisle. Georg sighed as he put his right glove back on his hand. At least Friedrich's ankle seemed to be healing, he noted as he observed the boy, sitting with his leg propped up against the pew.

When would Max get here? Things were always more interesting, for him and the children with Max around. But Max wasn't ready to leave when Georg left with Gretl and Marta to retrieve the older children from school, and they had to go straight from the school to the cathedral. Max insisted the best man would arrive would plenty of time, even if he left later.

"Father, when will Fraulein Maria get here?" Gretl asked him again as she walked past. Her dress brushed up against his pant leg.

Georg sighed. "Soon, I hope," he replied, carefully reaching down to stroke his youngest daughter's cheek. She smiled, delighted at the attention. As Gretl continued walking, Georg pulled at the fingertips of his right glove. _Soon indeed._

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

More and more guests were beginning to arrive. Some with warm smiles, eager to see such a nice couple's wedding. Georg particularly notice Baron and Baroness Elberfeld as they sat down, smiling back at the couple he'd known since he was a child. He appreciated Baroness Elberfeld even more recently, considering all the help she'd given to Maria with the wedding preparation. Others chatted about whatever was on their mind; Georg couldn't hear nor care about the details. Some still looked around the church, as if trying to find mistakes. He gave all those people he noticed one of his hard stares, not letting them judge Maria or her the way she'd planned their wedding.

As his children continued to wiggle and wonder where Maria was, Georg finally saw Max wander up the aisle in his best suit, like he didn't have a care in the world. Typical. "See, Georg," his friend commented with a big grin when he finally arrived at the front of the church. "I told you I'd get here with plenty of time to spare!"

"Yes, I suppose there are _some_ things I can count on you for," Georg replied, shaking his head, although he hadn't really been worried about that. For all of his faults, when it really counted, Max was a very dependable friend.

"Uncle Max!" all seven children exclaimed, the younger children jumping up to give him a big hug.

The altar boys arrived then, complete in their robes and eager to serve whenever the bishop was ready.

As Max told his children jokes and Georg pulled off his left glove again, the organ music suddenly began. Georg was more of a piano man, especially considering he hadn't had a good relationship with God or church in the last few years. But right at this second, he'd never heard of a more beautiful sound. Because he knew the wedding was finally about to begin.

Liesl realized it as well, and quickly escorted Marta and Gretl out of the pew, with their flowers all ready.

As Maria _finally_ entered the church while her nun friends stopped at the gate, Georg took a moment to simply stare at his bride. After all, Maria and the children had somehow managed to conceal her wedding dress and any details about it, from Georg until now. At this moment, he couldn't be more grateful. Maria looked breathtaking in her wedding gown. It was a simple gown without any lace or frills, just as she was. She also wore a veil which was topped with a beautiful wreath, similar to the ones Liesl, Marta, and Gretl wore, although a little larger, and seemed to be made of ivies. But as beautiful as Maria was on the outside, none of it could compare to how gorgeous she was on the inside. Georg could see her heart glowing from here as Liesl handed Maria her flowers.

Marta and Gretl came up the long church aisle perfectly as the organ music continued to play and Georg was extremely proud of them. Then Liesl began her walk and he couldn't help but notice what a proper young lady his eldest was becoming. In his mind, Liesl had stopped growing at twelve years old, but that wasn't reality. The reality was that Liesl was a _young woman_ , and it showed today most of all. She was certainly worthy of wearing Agathe's favorite necklace around her neck and serving as Maria's maid of honor.

But Georg's breath caught in his throat as his Maria began walking down the aisle as the organ music continued and the nuns sang a song in her honor. It seemed her dress also had a long train, which only added to its beauty. How long had he waited for this moment? As he stared at Maria, gorgeous on the inside and out, he wondered if his heart might burst out of his chest. Georg also couldn't help but remember another time felt this way, or at least something similar. In 1921, Agathe Whitehead had walked toward him in a wedding gown as well, although it was more suited for Agathe than Maria.

 _Georg and Agathe's wedding had taken place in England, in a cathedral of the Anglican Church, although he'd forgotten the exact name. But the church was filled with guests, most of them Agathe's relatives and friends and associates of the Whiteheads. Georg hadn't minded, as all of his attention was on his beautiful Agathe, as she walked toward him on her father's arm. Her dress was beautiful as well._ _It had delicate lace on the shoulders and waist. Her traditional veil, which covered Agathe's face, was also made of the same delicate lace. Her gown also had a low neck, which Georg definitely enjoyed the benefits of. Agathe's dress had no train, but such a wonderful dress didn't really need one._

 _Agathe and her father had the organ play the "Bridal Chorus," or as he was told it was more commonly known as "The Wedding March." It was a common processional in England from what he'd been told, in a demanding, superior way from Sir Whitehead, and in a sweet gentle way from his Agathe. He didn't like people giving him demands, especially when it came to music, but he had agreed because it was important to Agathe. Georg had to admit, the song certainly was worthy of the word "march." He supposed it was fitting, perhaps, for a bride's march up the aisle._

 _Georg also remembered the moment where he finally took Agathe's hand. Just before he did so, Agathe kissed her father's cheek, which Georg thought was a sweet moment between them. Georg and Sir Whitehead often didn't get along, but he understood how much Agathe loved him. Then, at last, Georg was able to take Agathe's hand in his, noticing how perfect it felt, and the ceremony officially began._

Maria had no father to kiss goodbye, and even Friedrich was unfortunately unavailable. But it didn't seem to bother her as she walked confidently up the steps and gave Georg her largest of her special smiles which showed all the love she had for him right on her face. As he took her beautiful hand at the top of the steps, he marveled that Maria's hand felt just as perfect in his as Agathe's did. How could he have been so lucky to find not one but _two_ wonderful women to love completely? And what was even better was that for some reason, both women loved him just as much.

The organ continued to play and the nuns finished their song in Maria's honor as Georg and Maria approached the altar and the bishop, still holding hands. Although the song wasn't a march, it was even more fitting for Maria than any other. He really appreciated that the nuns had written her as song specifically for her; they must have known what a wonderful gift it would be for her, he thought to himself as Max and Liesl came forward to begin the ceremony officially.

Georg and Maria knelt in front of the bishop as he crossed them and then began praying in Latin. As exciting as it was to actually be marrying Maria, Georg had to admit he preferred the Anglican ceremony at the moment. When he'd married Agathe, he was allowed to look directly into her beautiful eyes and see her wonderful smile. Here, he was instructed to look at the bishop's boring face rather than at Maria.

Georg lasted about three minutes before he decided he wouldn't let the bishop tell him what to do, especially if it was something as difficult as keeping his eyes away from Maria. He began sneaking glances at her as the bishop continued the prayers in his loud voice. There was Maria's lovely blond hair, which shone red in the sunlight and was so soft to touch. It may be covered with an ivy wreath today, but Georg had no problem enjoying it anyway. Then there were her beautiful hands, so unique and completely Maria. Georg squeezed her hand as he studied it. There were her breasts, which Georg found incredibly sexy, and her wedding gown did such a marvelous job showing how well shaped they were. Maria certainly didn't need a v – neck gown to accent her breasts.

At one point Georg noticed, Maria snuck a glance at him, as he met her beautiful blue eyes which looked at him with awe. Georg gave her his smug grin as he looked back at her, loving that although she was a devote Catholic, she found Georg more interesting than the bishop's prayers.

Even as the bishop began reading the scripture, Georg and Maria kept exchanging glances at each other.

Still, he had to admit when the bishop began interpreting the reading in German, Georg became mildly interested. Although Georg had scored at the top of his class in Latin, he couldn't focus on that language when Maria was distracting him with her presence. But even though Georg hadn't been interested what the Bible said in a long time, he thought this story might have a small amount of merit.

"Another chances at marriage," the bishop's voice announced as he stared at the bridge and the groom. Georg appreciated how clear the man's voice was, although the bishop's loud tone was difficult to handle. "That's what Tobiah and Sarah's story is about. Sarah had _seven_ husbands before Tobiah, and they all died. But the Lord was still with her, even in her darkest hour, giving her another chance. Just as this marriage is another chance for today's couple. Another chance at marriage and another chance at family. Tobiah's father was blinded and in danger of dying; but Sarah's family took him in as their son as well. And they all became a family together, as Tobiah restored his father's sight by a gift from the Lord."* The bishop looked at Maria carefully. "You, young lady have found a new family because of your marriage, more so than a bride does normally. And many more gifts from the Lord will come, if you continue to serve Him."

Georg smiled at the bishop's words and the way they obviously thrilled Maria, as he could see her shine even more than she had before. _When he and Agathe were married, the Anglican bishop had used the traditional verse of, "Love is patient; love is kind. It is not jealous; love is not pompous; it is not inflated; it is not rude; it does not seek its own interests; it is not quick – tempered; it does not brood over injury; it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."_ _ ******_ _Georg thought that verse had suited Agathe well, as it was exactly the way she always loved him. He had looked into her beautiful eyes as that scripture was read, knowing it was meant for her._ But although Georg knew Maria loved him wholeheartedly, she didn't love the same gentle way Agathe did. A scripture about more chances and finding family was far more appropriate for Maria, and for _their_ marriage. Maria was now brighter than the sun because of the bishop's reference.

As Georg continued to sneak covert looks with Maria, the Bishop suddenly instructed everyone to stand. Georg patted himself on the back for staying in such excellent shape for a man his age, otherwise it wouldn't be that easy to stand from his kneeling position. He'd heard other men complain about that problem, and Georg couldn't let Maria hear his joints creaking like he was an old man on their wedding day. In fact Georg was relatively certain Max's knees had just creaked as he stood up just now.

The bishop instructed Georg to begin his vows, asking, "Do you take Maria here present for your lawful wife, according to the rite of our holy mother, the church?" The man's voice still rang in Georg's ears, but it was a question he could happily answer.

"I do," he replied firmly, sneaking another look at Maria's radiant face.

The bishop repeated the same question to Maria and she answered happily and eagerly. Without even realizing it, Georg's free hand began playing with her veil as she continued her vows.

"I Maria, take you, Georg, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part," she said in her clear voice which was rather loud, but much more pleasant to listen to her than the bishop's. Georg smiled, thinking how well those vows suited his Maria.

 _Georg heard Agathe's sweet, gentle voice promise to "Love, honor, and obey" him as she looked into his eyes, showing how much she meant what she said. And she lived her life as his wife with those vows, with a couple of notable exceptions (the most obvious being the time where Georg thought he could prevent her father from visiting)._ But as much as Georg would enjoy hearing Maria promising to "obey" him, she'd never be able to keep it. He doubted she'd be able to keep the promise for than a day or two, actually. And Maria was obviously far more comfortable with vows she could retain permanently, so it was better that those were the standard vows for the Catholic Church.

Then Georg repeated the same vows to Maria, still grasping her hand and playing with her veil with the other.

They also both exchanged wedding rings, much to the apparent surprise of all the guests.

Following that, Maria and Georg were told to kneel again, and Georg once again thanked himself he was in in such good physical shape. With that the bishop began the preparation for Communion in Latin. Although the bishop was still incredibly loud, Georg's mind still drifted. He enjoyed the feeling of his new wedding ring rubbing against Maria's wonderful hand. He also continued to examine Maria's beautiful hair, her radiant face, and her sexy breasts whenever he could.

Georg loved the feeling of joy that was bursting through him right now. And when the bishop instructed him and Maria to eat of the Bread as the Lord's Body, he couldn't feel anything but thanks. Normally Georg didn't have a good opinion about God, considering everything He'd taken from Georg. His brother, his country, his parents, and finally Agathe. But at this moment, Georg admitted if the Lord could give him Maria and bless their marriage, God was perhaps better than he'd thought.

When at last the bishop pronounced them man and wife and gave Georg permission to kiss his bride, he was so eager he didn't even bother standing. He simply leaned over and wrapped his arms around Maria's warm, soft body and kissed her, still playing with her veil with one hand. Ordinarily, Georg was a very private man who didn't enjoy many public displays of affection. But right now, the joy in his heart seemed larger than the cathedral, and Georg didn't care about everyone's eyes watching them kiss. He only cared about the way Maria's soft lips tasted, a mix of pure happiness and something uniquely Maria. And she seemed just as eager to kiss him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his.

When they released themselves and stood up, Georg marveled at how happy all the guests seemed. There was so much clapping, he almost didn't hear the organ begin to play the recessional. When his knees stopped creaking, .Max looked at Georg with his signature mischievous grin, but his eyes showed a serious genuine happiness that Georg rarely saw on the other man. Liesl met the eyes of both of her new parents, showing how much this ceremony meant to her as well. Sitting in the family pew, the rest of the children were also extremely pleased. In fact, Kurt seemed to be clapping so hard, Georg was half afraid the boy's hands might fall off, but he looked so thrilled he might not even notice. Gretl wiggled in delight as she clapped and her smile was wider than he'd ever seen. Even Louisa, who was almost more reserved than Georg was grinned as she clapped for the happy couple.

It reminded Georg of the time he and Agathe were officially declared man and wife. _Max grinned at his former superior in the navy, showing more respect than he'd given Georg in a long time. He couldn't take his eyes of Agathe for more than a second, but he did pause to indicate how much he appreciated the other man's support. Georg also noticed Agathe's parents from the corner of his eyes. His relationship with his in – laws was generally slightly cool, but at that moment, he'd never seen either of them happier. Agathe's mother actually smiled at him for the first time in Georg's life, and Sir Whitehead's smile covered his entire face. Even the other guests who had expressed dissatisfaction that "Miss Whitehead was marrying one of those Huns," seemed to smile and clap as he and Agathe came down the aisle as a married couple. And it gave Georg even more joy, as Agathe seemed so pleased that everyone in the Cathedral was so glad._

Now, as Georg and Maria made their way down the aisle, he could see more people than he'd ever thought clapping and smiling for them. In fact, he could still only hear the organ music vaguely in the background. It made him feel even more wonderful that these people all realized what a wonderful woman Maria was and how much she deserved to be part of the von Trapp family.

Still clutching to Maria's arm and fingering with her veil, he whispered, "Look at how many people want to welcome you into our family, Maria."

Maria nodded and her eyes shone brighter than the sun again. "I love that the bishop could make that connection with the scripture. Because God did give me what I've always been looking for. A family and a place to belong," she whispered back as they continued walking.

Georg nodded and whispered again. "The bishop wasn't that bad, but I wish his voice wasn't so _loud."_

Maria shook her head. "I think loud is better than quiet," she whispered with her volume increasing a little.

Georg chuckled. "Of course you do," he teased her, remembering how loud his household had become since she'd become a part of it. It was a good thing he enjoyed hearing _her_ voice, no matter how loud she could get.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Liesl helped Maria remove her train in the ladies' room when she and Georg finished the recessional. Then Maria stepped outside the cathedral, noticing to her delight, that it wasn't raining. "We should hold the Agape out here instead of in the basement, considering it looks like the rain will restrain itself," Maria commented to Georg as she reemerged.

Georg looked around at the weather for a moment. "I suppose you are right," he replied, in the voice he used when her Captain didn't like to admit Maria had a good idea. He whispered to Max to help him retrieve the supplies, and within ten minutes, they had a table full of bread, salt and wine set up for all the guests. Maria and Liesl cut and salted the bread while Georg and Max poured the white wine. Maria also noticed Georg had to shake his head at his friend several times before Max tried to take a drink or a bite himself.

Liesl on the other hand, looked at the wine with longing in her eyes, and yet said nothing while she handed out bread. Maria wished Georg would start to notice what a young woman Liesl was truly becoming. Certainly worthy of a glass of wine on a special occasion. But this wasn't the time to explain that to him, as guests chattered away.

"Congratulations, Georg, Maria," Baroness Ebberfeld told them both warmly as she accepted her bread and wine. "And I bought you a gift," she added, placing a small brown package on the table.

Maria smiled back just as warmly to the white - haired woman. "Thank you so much for your help."

Kurt arrived next in line, exclaiming, "I'm so glad you two got married!" in his innocent, happy voice. Then Maria gave him a large piece of bread, knowing that's what he was really looking for. Liesl sliced her brother a piece of bread as well, and Kurt also took an extra, so somehow the boy ended up with three slices. At least Maria knew they wouldn't go to waste.

The other children also received their slices of bread and began munching on their small meal.

Other women who Maria had befriended congratulated her and Georg, often placing a brown package in the pile. Some of the women Maria hadn't really interacted with yet wished them a happy marriage and placed their gifts in the pile as well. She looked forward to finding out what those gifts contained.

As the bread and the wine continued to be handed out, Marta suddenly screeched, and Maria and Georg exchanged a panicked look. What was wrong with their daughter? But then Marta came up behind Maria and grinned, showing another missing tooth. "Look, Fr - _Mother_ , I lost another one!" she exclaimed. The girl's pronunciation was a little off, because two of her teeth were now missing, but Maria barely noticed that, focusing on what Marta called her instead.

"That's wonderful, Marta," Maria replied, feeling choked up as Marta called her "Mother" for the first time. Perhaps the older ones would never be able to do so, but right now Maria simply hugged her daughter, feeling her heart grow more than it already had. Soon, Maria might have to wheel her heart around in a wagon, it was becoming so big, but she didn't mind at all.

Marta grinned again, showing her father her new missing tooth, and Georg smiled and patted the girls head. Maria felt her heart grow again at the image. She'd definitely need a wagon soon.

The congratulations and gifts continued. Many of the women who had been a little cold to Maria when she and Georg had first become engaged now greeted her warmly, and Maria was happy to greet them back. Others still looked judgmentally or congratulated them in a fake – sounding voice, but she'd never let those kind of people bother her before, and she wasn't about to start now. She couldn't help but enjoy their surprise at how thin her waist still was, though she knew pride was a sin.

When all their guests were finally fed and their pile of presents seemed to be two feet high, Maria, Georg, Max, and Liesl all helped themselves to a slice of bread and a little salt. Maria let the fluffy bread fill her mouth, tasting just enough salt to give it flavor. As Georg poured Maria a glass of white wine as well, Maria sighed and whispered carefully, "I think Liesl deserves some as well." Her new husband grimaced a little at the idea. Maria knew they'd had this disagreement about Liesl before, but Maria really thought Liesl should have some after all the help she'd been to Maria today.

Just when Maria thought Georg would snap at her again, her husband suddenly nodded and handed Liesl a small glass of white wine.

Liesl's eyes lit up as she took the glass like she was accepting a badge of honor. "Thank you, Father," she said in a voice full of love and seriousness.

Maria looked at Georg with just as much love as she sipped her own wine. It was so wonderful that he'd finally accepted that Liesl was really growing up, despite how difficult it was for him.

OOOOOOOOOOO

When everyone finally finished their light meal, the von Trapps and all the guests knew they should leave the cathedral before people began arriving for Saturday night mass. So everyone invited quickly made their way to the Hotel Bristol for the reception. Everyone enjoyed a delicious piece of fluffy vanilla cake with sugary frosting. Max and Kurt had two pieces. And then it was time for their first dance.

Georg and Maria smiled at each other as the musicians began the landler. Maria took a moment to admire her new husband, which was something she'd done many times today, as they stepped on to the dance floor. She had delighted in his wonderfully firm jaw line, and gorgeously thick hair, and muscles that she thoroughly enjoyed feeling through his clothing for quite some time, and she certainly still appreciated them today. But what caused Maria to stare at him again and again today was how amazing he looked in his black navy uniform, decorated with all of his metals and his imperial sword strapped to his leg. She had been prepared for him to look handsome today, but it was astounding just how handsome he was, dressed like that. Still, Maria had decided early on she had no real reason to feel embarrassed at how often she stared at Georg. After all, he was her _husband_ now, and the Bible said a husband's body belonged to a wife, just as a wife's body belonged to her husband.***

"So you like what you see, Maria?" Georg whispered to her as he noticed her looking him up and down again.

Maria blushed a little at the way he looked at her but she held her head high and looked straight back at him. "Yes, I do."

"And may I say I'm enjoying what I see as well?" Georg whispered to her as he took her other hand and they began the dance. "You're breathtaking, Maria." She smiled back at him, loving the way he made her feel beautiful in a way no one else ever had.

Just as it had always been when they performed "their dance," it seemed as if all the people and everything but the two of them and the music disappeared. The twirls were a little more difficult to perform in her wedding gown than they had been in the dress she'd worn the first time they'd danced the landler, but Maria managed. In fact, she revealed in this particular dance, at the way she and Georg moved around each other, and he drew her closer and closer as it continued; the end where they were wrapped in each other's arms with their chest pressed up against each other's.

When they finally became aware of others around them again, Maria happened to notice some of the guests faces surprised looks. She supposed few of them probably expected her and Georg to use a more sophisticated _waltz_ rather than a traditional Austrian landler. Georg had warned her about that, but he also assured her that he didn't care and would much rather dance the landler with her first than any other one. It was one of the things she adored most about him; Georg never let other people, particularly those he didn't know well, sway his opinions on what he wanted or what he thought was best.

Still, the music soon changed to a typical Viennese Waltz and Georg invited Liesl to dance, much to the young woman's joy. Meanwhile, Max tapped Maria's shoulder and asked if she would mind dancing with him. "I'm not a bad dancer, you know. My feet won't touch your toes, I can promise you that," Max grinned as he took her on to the dance floor.

Maria felt a bit uncomfortable, waltzing with someone other than Georg. But she had been told it was traditional for the bride and groom to dance with the rest of the bridal party after their first dance. Besides, Mas seemed to know how to dance without pressing himself to close.

She gazed at Georg he whirled around with Liesl, feeling her heart swell again. Maria decided she'd need a _very_ big wagon for her heart. "It's so nice to see him accepting Liesl is a young lady now," she commented as she danced with Max. "It means so much to her."

Max nodded as he glanced over at his best friend. "I'd say he had to accept it eventually, but I don't think he would have if it weren't for your help. It's so nice to see him and everyone happy again."

Maria shrugged and looked at the floor to make sure her feet were making the correct formations. She wasn't used to Max, of all people, speaking to her like that. After a couple of moments, she returned to face him. "I hear you have agreed to watch the children while we're away. That's so nice of you. Thank you."

Max smiled his famous mischievous grin. "Well, if I do, I'll be able to stay at the Villa enjoy all of Cook's delicious food. Believe me, it's not a hardship."

They finished their dance and Max decided to have another drink. Meanwhile, it appeared that Georg had agreed to dance with Louisa. Maria decided to sit down next to Friedrich, who was trying to look happy, but Maria wondered if he might be feeling left out, having to sit down the whole time.

"What did you think of the cake?" Maria asked the young man.

Friedrich smiled. "I think you made a good choice."

"Well, Max and Frau Schmidt actually chose that, but I agree; it was a good cake," Maria commented. "Speaking of Max, I'm sure he'll have a lot fun things to do for all of you while we're away. Especially when your ankle is healed."

Friedrich nodded, looking delighted at the idea. "I'm looking forward to that." He paused and looked at all the guests dancing for a second. Maria was almost certain he felt left out today, although his pride would never allow him to admit it.

"Perhaps when your father and I return, you and I can share a dance together," Maria suggested.

Friedrich shrugged, like he didn't want to admit that he liked the idea. "Maybe."

OOOOOOOOOOO

Before the reception finished, Georg danced with all of his girls, even the little ones, and Maria felt her heart grow enough to need _two_ wagons. And she and Georg also performed a waltz themselves. Although Maria preferred the landler, she did enjoy the way the waltz allowed them to dance close together the entire time. By the end of their waltz, the heat between them was so pronounced, Maria thought they might burst into flames. "How soon can we go upstairs?" she whispered as they finished.

Georg looked at her, somehow more intensely than he had when they were dancing, and whispered back, "Now. I think now would be acceptable." His breath tingled against her neck, making the heat of the moment increase again.

"Children, I think it's time for Maria and I to say goodbye. Have fun with Uncle Max," Georg announced in his Captain Voice. Maria had never been gladder that he'd decided to use the commanding tone.

The children protested, but Maria and Georg hugged them and disappeared upstairs as quickly as they possibly could. When they arrived in their room, it was apparent that all of their wedding gifts had already been brought in from their carriage. But for once in her life, Maria had no interest in what was in any of the brown paper packages. She was far more interested in her husband's package.

* **Paraphrased from the Book of Tobit, St. Joesph edition.**

 ****1 Cor. 13: 4- 8.**

 ***** Paraphrased from 1 Cor. 7:4.**

 **I did my best to portray a how a high Catholic, (pre – Vatican II) Austrian Wedding would be like, while still keeping what we know from canon in the movie. I also did my best to portray an Anglican Wedding in the flashbacks accurately. I'd like to think I did a good job, between my own personal knowledge and a bit of research. But if you notice any inaccuracies and/or have any questions, feel free to mention them.**

 **Objectively speaking, this story is done, but I will be writing an epilogue which will take place after they return from Paris.**

 **I don't know if any of you realize this, but when I started this story, my goal was to write a story about the legacy of Agathe and Georg's relationship on Maria and Georg's relationship. I simply decided that the engagement period was the best time to set such a story. I think what I ended up with was about 50% of the legacy of Georg's first marriage and 50% just Maria and Georg engagement stuff. But I'm pretty happy with the result, and I hope some of you are, too.**

 **But** _ **please**_ **give me a review. Tell me what you think of the chapter and/or what you think of the story as a whole. If you have any ideas for improvements, I still would love to hear them, even though the story is almost done.**

 **Here's some responses to the last chapter.**

 **Bloomangrow: Glad you liked how Maria was able to help Friedrich, and how much Friedrich was like his father. Showing how the children are like one of their parents is another one of my favorite things to write, especially when it's noticed by the other parent. Despite how frustrating Maria finds it, I think there's a lot of affection for both Friedrich and Georg as she noticed their similarities in that chapter.**

 **I'm glad the comparison between Maria taking care of Friedrich and Agathe becoming ill. From an objective point of view, chapter 12 was meant to explain why Friedrich DID NOT walk Maria down the aisle in canon. (Because I really think he should have.) But I also thought it was a great spot to discuss one of the biggest leagcy's of Agathe on Maria and Georg's relationship: her illness. So I set it up so that would make sense.**

 **Srhittson: You've finally got what you've been waiting for! Hope you enjoyed the wedding.**


	14. Epilogue

Epilogue

 **Disclaimers: I don't own** _ **The Sound of Music**_ **, and the format for the flashbacks comes from watching and reading OUAT.**

 **This last chapter is dedicated with loving memory to my mother – in – law. (1953 – 2017) Her strong faith in God and her love really helped hold her family together, and she also loved** _ **The Sound of Music.**_ **I'd like to think this is a fitting tribute to her.**

Georg had been in a terrible mood today. His wonderful honeymoon with Maria had been cut short because of those blasted Nazis had invaded his home. Everywhere he looked, there was another Nazis flag displayed. Those horrible swastikas were hanging at the train station, in the shops, and in the front of every house Franz drove by. Nazis soldiers marched all over the city, as if the hoodlums were proud of what they were doing. Georg knew Austria and those who had served had been deteriorating for some time, but honestly, how could they all welcome this?

He fought the urge to scream in rage, but he refused to lose control like that in public. Besides, he knew he needed to be as rational as possible in order do what was necessary. Instead, he leaned in close to his Maria, who could always soothe his irritations with the outside world. He griped her loving hand tightly and inhaled her scent.

"We'll get through this, Georg," she whispered to him firmly as they drove past another Nazi flag.

Georg nodded and squeezed her hand even harder. Fortunately she didn't seem to mind. His Maria was a strong woman, and she was correct; somehow they'd get through this Nazi invasion.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

But as they drove up to their own home, Georg finally lost it. "No!" he barked as he stared at the swastika hanging out of the window of the villa. He needed to make plans with Maria on what to do. But nothing was more important right now than removing that symbol of horror.

Just as he finished removing it, Max and the children drove in. Georg was eager to see them; their innocent faces and happy words should make him feel better. As he ran out, he noticed Maria had already had Franz put the children's gifts out back and was now talking to Frau Schmidt. He felt a surge of pride, knowing how well she was already adapting to her new role.

But then he focused his attention on his children who were all eager to see him, plastering a bright smile on his face as they jumped out of the car. "Father!" they cried. "You're back!" It was ironic that the last time they greeted him that way, he was in a better mood, yet he behaved appallingly to children who only wanted to show him love. Today, when everything was falling apart in Austria, it felt better to surround himself with love.

He picked up Marta, enjoying the way the girl's brown eyes shone and she looked down at him like he was the most important man in the world. "We missed you!" he told the children, telling them something that was completely true and yet still protected them from the true horror that had happened and would only get worse.

The rest of the children ran to see Maria who was naturally just as eager to see them, giving them all hugs like the wonderfully affectionate woman she was. Georg took a moment to notice how well Friedrich was doing. He had run out of the car with all the others without any trouble and was now standing on both feet without a small sign of discomfort. He had assumed the boy's ankle would be recovered by now but it was nice to have the conformation. Georg tried to let the knowledge that his oldest son was fine and the happy sounds of Maria and the children fill his heart, but the darn Nazi flag he was holding wouldn't let him banish his rage completely.

He held up the remains of the blasted flag to Max, and gave his friend a look that demanded an explanation of why that thing was anywhere near _his_ home. "I had nothing to do with that, Georg," Max replied in a voice that actually made Georg believe him. At least Max could be trusted not to turn his villa into a Nazi house.

But the next words Brigitta said to Maria put all of his attention back on them, as she exclaimed, "Look _Mother_." Maria's whole body lit up from within as she heard that word from someone other than Marta or Gretl. It made her more beautiful than she already was, making him want to gaze at her even more.

It reminded him of when Agathe had first heard Liesl say, "Ma – ma," when she only one year old. _Agathe was sitting in the drawing room, writing some correspondence, while Georg spoke to Franz. Liesl toddled into the drawing room, looking for attention from her parents. First she held up both her arms to her mother, but unfortunately, she was ignored. Then she pulled on Agathe's skirt, but Agathe obviously decided to try to finish the last of the correspondence, so she patted Liesl's head affectionately. Then she continued writing. Finally, Liesl said, "Ma –ma," in her small, but offended voice._

 _Agathe immediately put down the pen and picked Liesl up, exclaiming, "That's right Liesl, I'm 'Ma – ma'!" Her face lit up so completely it might've been brighter than the sun. Georg smiled at both of them, loving how his family was developing. He had a wife who loved him and motherhood equally; an adorable daughter who was growing and developing every day; and someday he and Agathe may be blessed with other children. He may have lost his brother and the country he'd fought for, but his little family made his life great._

Georg's mind drifted back to the present, reminding himself that even though it seemed he was losing his country all over again, this time to a mad man, he still had a great family. And it was only becoming stronger, the way Maria was now officially a part of them the children accepted her as their mother.

He remembered how she'd worried that the older children would never be willing to call her "mother," but Georg suspected all they needed was time. He gave her a smirk and a wink, letting her know _he'd_ been right this time.

OOOOOOOOOOOO 

Things were worse than they'd thought. He knew they would probably have to leave if the Nazi's took over Austria; he and Maria had already discussed it. But he'd never dreamed it would be this soon. There was so little time to plan, and even less time for Georg and Maria to enjoy time together in their home. The nerve of those Nazis, interrupting their honeymoon, and Hitter demanding Georg come right away to serve him!

Georg had carefully gathered his basic necessities from the master suite while Maria told the children of their plans. Then he gathered all the documents they would need from his study. When that was finished, he planned to meet Maria upstairs again, but he stopped as he walked by the music room. They would have to leave his piano, which he had just recently rediscovered, behind. They would have to leave the entire room, with all of its happy memories behind. Memories of him and Agathe playing the piano and the violin together for the children and for just the two of them. Memories of him playing the piano with Agathe sitting on bench nest to him. Recent memories of Maria sitting on the same bench while he played. Memories of Agathe playing the violin while he listened as she lost herself in the music. Memories of their whole family singing together in that room. Recent memories of him and Maria singing for the children.

Georg shook his head as he shut the door to the room, telling himself he must be strong in order to do what was necessary to protect his family. When he looked up, he could see Maria coming toward him out of corner of his eye. "I thought I told you I'd meet you back upstairs?" he asked, after she was close enough to speak to softly.

Maria shrugged, letting her entire body move the way she always did, and despite his terrible mood, he found it just as sexy as he always did as well. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him, finding it both comforting and slighting arousing. If only their honeymoon could have been a little longer… "When you didn't arrive right away, I thought you may be here. This room was the heart of your relationship with Agathe, and with your whole family. I know that now, Georg. It's why you took so long to open it up again, wasn't it?"

Georg shook his head, trying to understand why Maria could understand things that he himself barely understood and could never explain fully to anyone. What would he do without her? "Yes," he admitted. "I suppose so." He squeezed her body, pulling her even closer, and gave her a kiss.

Maria sighed as they drew apart, and glanced at the music room once again. "It's too bad we can't use that room anymore, but we can still sing. And you'll bring the violin with us for Louisa, right?" she asked him.

"Of course," he replied, picking it up and adding it to the things Max would take to the car. "And you're guitar, as well, darling."

Maria nodded immediately. "You're right! I can't forget the most important thing I brought with me when I first came here. And I'm certain we can find you another piano once we are settled."

Georg nodded, forcing himself to push down his depressing emotions. Hadn't he decided he would try not to wallow in the negative anymore, with Maria's help? He took her hand again. "So, do the children understand what they need to do?" he asked her carefully as they made their way up the stairs. Georg discretely made sure that Franz or Frau Schmidt were not close by.

Maria nodded. "Yes, they're all packing _exactly_ what they need."

"And they know to be too loud about it, or say anything about it at dinner, so Franz and Frau Schmidt won't know anything?" Georg whispered in Maria's ear.

Maria nodded again. "Yes. The younger ones thought it sounded like a fun game, and the others are willing to anything to help you get out of the Nazi clutches."

Georg nodded, immensely relieved that things appeared to be moving along smoothly. "Good." If only it wasn't so necessary… He mentally cursed the Nazis for the millionth time.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Unfortunately, _nothing_ hadmoved as smoothly as Georg had hoped that night. First they had been ambushed by Zeller and his cronies before they even left the property of the villa. As a result, Georg had to agree to let his family perform in Max's festival in order to escape. They also had to abandon Georg's automobile, because the Nazi's knew which one belonged to him. Even hiding in the Abbey hadn't worked as well as they'd thought, as Georg had only narrowly escaped being shot by Rolfe. Now he was driving the automobile that belonged to the Abbey as far he could take it up the mountain.

There was another thud as Georg hid another bump, jostling everyone a bit. Gretl fussed, as the little girl had fallen asleep and the movement woke her up. Liesl comforted her youngest sister the best she could with soothing words. Georg knew he would be able to drive this vehicle much further, but he intended to take it as far as he could.

"Father," Louisa's voice asked in a way that sounded causal, yet Georg had a suspicion was anything _but_ **.**

"Yes, Louisa?" he asked, with his eyes still on the narrow road that lead up the foot of the mountain.

"There's no way to get Mother's violin back, is there?"

Georg suddenly felt like a knife had been stabbed in his chest as he realized they had to leave Agathe's violin behind. And Maria's guitar as well. And then Kurt said something that made the knife twist even deeper. "If we could go back and get it, Father, I wouldn't fight over it anymore. Louisa can have it." His youngest son sounded so hopeful, even promising not to fight over the instrument, which he and Louisa had done quite a bit of in the last month and a half. Georg hated to disappoint Kurt. He had disappointed his children enough already in the last four years.

Agathe would have wanted one of the children to have her violin. _Georg pictured the way Agathe's face lit up as the children enjoyed hearing her play. She loved sharing music with them, and she always enjoyed discussing how each string made a different sound._

But if they returned to the other automobile, if they so much as turned back to the city, the Nazis would be all over them. Georg knew that for a fact. Luckily, there didn't seem to be any following them right now. Hopefully most of them were still in Salzburg. And while Agathe loved her violin, _nothing_ was more important to her than their family. "Son," Georg said carefully. "If we return for the violin, those men are sure to attack us again." Maria reached over from her seat next to him and grabbed his arm in what seemed like all of her strength, almost like she was trying to prevent him from leaving. Georg put his hand on top of hers to assure her he would stay with her and the family.

"Oh," Kurt replied, like he wasn't quite sure what else to say.

"That's what I thought," Louisa concluded, in the same causal – but – not – causal voice.

"I know it's sad to leave one of the last memories you have of your mother, but you have other memories of her," Maria told Louisa and Kurt in a comforting voice. "And even though we've lost our instruments, nothing can stop us from singing, right?" Even though Maria had lost the only possession that was of any importance to her, she didn't let it bother her. Instead she focused on comforting the children and reminding them what they could still do. The woman was amazing.

"Right," all of the children who were still awake agreed.

"Right," Georg agreed as well, as he reached over and rubbed her shoulder in thanks.

Then, after surveying the area for several minutes, he drove the car as far away under a tree as he could. "I don't think we'll be able to get any further than hear for tonight, and it doesn't look like we've been followed. You should all try to sleep."

"What about you, Georg," Maria asked softly. "I know you're tired, too." She ran her hands through his hair letting him feel her tender fingers on his scalp.

Georg yawned, wishing he could fall asleep in her arms like he'd done the night before. "I can't. Someone has to keep watch."

Maria nodded and placed her head against his shoulder. "All right, but wake me up in a few hours then. You can't go without any sleep any more than the rest of us can."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX  
OOOOOOOOO 

A few days later, Maria tried her best to stay positive, but although she wasn't a worrier, even _she_ knew there was a lot to be concerned about. Both she and Georg were nervous about Friedrich's ankle. Although he'd obviously recovered since they left, this constant hiking through the rough terrain couldn't be good for such a recent injury. Neither was the snow they had to occasionally walk through on the mountains. Maria was also worried about Liesl, who hadn't spoken much at all since they'd left the graveyard. The children also desperately missed the things they'd left behind. Gretl and Marta cried about their favorite dolls that were all alone back in Salzburg. Louisa and Kurt were still upset about leaving Agathe's violin behind, although they tried to be understanding about it since their father explained why they couldn't return for it (or anything else). Maria did her best to console the children, but there was only so much she could do and she wasn't sure she was succeeding.

And even though Maria tried to pretend otherwise, Maria had to admit that it was quite disappointing that she would never see her guitar again. The instrument had been her constant companion since her mother died. It kept her company during the horrible years at her uncle's house, when she had no one else to turn to. Still, Maria reminded herself what she had told the children earlier. Nothing could stop her from singing. She hummed as she led Marta and Brigitta through the trees and up the rocks. Maria knew from experience if she kept singing or humming, she'd be able to stay more positive.

As Maria helped Marta pull herself up the next rock, she paused to make certain she could still see Georg up ahead, carrying Gretl on his back. That was another fear that wouldn't go away, despite how much Maria tried. Would something happen to her husband? Maria shuddered as she remembered how Rolfe pointed a gun right at Georg's chest. So far, it seemed the Nazis hadn't found them since that night at the graveyard, but how much longer would that last?

Maria hummed "Something Good," as she climbed up the next rock, and then leaned down to help Brigitta up. Fortunately, these rocks weren't steep; in fact they looked a lot like stone steps. Still, they were a bit difficult for Brigitta and Marta, who had small legs and weren't used to this much physical activity.

Maria turned around a pulled Marta up to the next rock as well. "Thank you, Mother," Marta told her, smiling with her new teeth growing in. Maria's heart swelled and she reminded herself that being called "Mother" and being married to Georg made all of this worth it.

Suddenly Maria realized that although she could still see Liesl, Friedrich, Kurt, and Louisa up ahead, she could not see Georg or Gretl. "Georg!" Maria said, a bit louder than she probably should have, as her echo seemed to sound all over the Alps. 

Georg immediately appeared and made his way back to Maria, shaking his head at her and wearing rage on his face. "Maria, you can't make that much noise," he snapped at her, in a voice quitter than she'd said his name but still loud enough to make his point clear. "We don't know how close the Nazis might be, and you may have just given them a _fine_ idea about our location." He balled his hand into a fist and punched the air as he finished his speech.

All the stress of the last few days exploded as Maria replied, "I _know_ that, Georg; I just made a mistake when I couldn't see you. And if you _really_ don't want the Nazis to find us, why don't you let me lead our family?" She placed her hands on her hips as she continued, "You do realize I know these mountains far better than anyone else; I think I could find some spots no else is aware of, much less the Nazis."

The rage on Georg's face somehow became deeper and he appeared as if his eyes were on fire. "Well, I see you don't have nearly as much trust in me as I thought you did, Maria. But whatever you believe, I have a good sense of direction, and after studying the maps of Austria for years, I'm perfectly capable of leading our family to safety." With that, Georg marched back up the rock – like steps, at the front of the group. Picking up Gretl again, he began leading the way through the mountains.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

For the rest of the day, Maria and Georg had very little contact with each other. When they all broke dinner, after they found an empty cave to camp in, the two adults snapped at each other while everyone ate. Finally, after laying the children down to sleep under a large blanket, close together for warmth, Maria sighed and looked at her husband. He was a wonderful father, she thought to herself as she watched him tuck Gretl right between Liesl and Brigitta.

She sighed. "I…really am sorry about saying your name so loudly, Georg. I'd never want the Nazis to find us, and I know we have to be careful not to be too loud. I was just...I've been so worried about you, ever since Rolfe…and I've been consoling myself by making sure I could see you at all times. And when I couldn't see you…I panicked. I just hope I didn't make our situation worse." She shook her head and looked at the floor of the cave, ashamed of herself.

"Well," Georg replied in a neutral voice, "It appears they haven't found us yet."

Maria nodded and dared to look at his face. "Yes, I suppose so. And I do think that's because of _you_ , darling. You're always so level – headed in a crisis, coming up with a plan, and being able to change it at the last minute, like what happened the night we left. I _do_ trust you, Georg. You know, sometimes, I think I'm more scared _now_ then I was the night I left your home to return to the Abbey? But I don't think of running away for a _second_ because you're here with me, guiding me and protecting all of us."

Georg finally smiled and walked over to where Maria was standing and wrapped both his arms around her. Maria enjoyed the feeling of his strong hands stroking her back as he began speaking. "I love you, Maria. Thank you for telling me that. I try my best, but sometimes…I'm never sure I've made the right decision. Leading my family through the mountains in November sounds like a ridiculous idea, despite how warm it's been for this time of year. And I'm afraid I've failed to protect all of you…" he whispered, as if he could barely admit it to Maria. "Hearing you sound as if you doubted me as well…I couldn't handle that."

"Georg, I trust you more than anyone on Earth," she told him as she looked up into his deep blue eyes that shined in the starlight.

He kissed her and replied, "And I trust you more than anyone Earth as well, Maria. _Do_ you know a less known route to get to Switzerland? One that won't take us too long?"

Maria smiled, loving that he trusted her enough to help protect their family. She leaned up gave him a deeper kiss. "I think I might know _just_ the right path." It was so obscure she was certain only about ten people were aware of it. She had discovered it herself when she tried to run away from her uncle's house as a teenager. "But first, lie down for a bit, Georg. You're tired." She ran her fingers through his hair as she said that.

Georg opened his mouth to protest but sighed and nodded. He seemed to realize he had to trust Maria in order to sleep as well. "All right but only for an hour or two. He laid his head down in her lap. "I wish you could lie down next to me. We never got to finish our honeymoon, you know."

Maria sighed and ran her fingers over his body. "Believe me, I know."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day, Maria and Georg led their family through the mountains, as Maria was eager to share her route with them. Liesl and Friedrich agreed to help the younger children in the rear.

When it was time to break for dinner, the family luckily was able to find another cave to camp. It appeared they had found it just in time, as it was starting to snow. Maria thanked God they had found shelter in time, and Georg told everyone he would find some wild game nearby for dinner. She still hated to see Georg leave her sight, but Maria knew they needed food, and he was unlikely to be found by anyone this far off the main path, anyway. As Georg's back disappeared behind the flakes of snow, Maria said another prayer that her husband should stay safe and find food soon. Then she instructed all of the children to stay inside the dry cave that was sheltered against the wind.

Friedrich protested as soon as his father disappeared. "I should try to find some food as well. Father does his best, but he can't bring back enough food for nine people. If I helped him, we'd do much better." He tried to step out of the cave into the snow, but Maria stopped him.

"No, Friedrich!" she exclaimed as she put her hand on his arm and shook her head. "This weather is even worse on you than the rest of us, because of your past injury. You can't go out there and make it worse!"

Friedrich shook his head. "I won't let that bother me," he replied in the voice he used when he was trying to sound as "manly" as possible. He tried to release himself from her grip but she held firm.

"This isn't the time to be manly, Friedrich," Maria snapped at him, moving so she blocked the exit to the cave. "The reality is you're still a child, as much as you try to pretend otherwise. You must stay inside!" By the time she had finished, she was screaming at the boy.

The look of betrayal that came across Friedrich's face as soon as she told him he was still a child broke Maria's heart. How could she say such a thing, knowing how much it meant to Friedrich to be "manly"? And how could she unleash her temper on one of the children? "Friedrich," she tried to tell him, "I didn't mean…" But Friedrich had already made his way to the back of the cave, with his back towards Maria.

The rest of the children stared at Maria, probably uncertain how to proceed. Maria and Georg tried not to argue in front of the children, but they were _certainly_ aware that their parents argued by now. But Maria arguing with one of the children was not something they were used to. Suddenly the cave which was as big as the drawing room at home, felt as small as a supply closet.

Maria reached into the bag of supplies that that the Abbey had given them and pulled out the plates. "Let's get everything ready for when your father returns," Maria told the children, trying to stop this horrible and suffocating silence. "And we can sing 'My Favorite Things' at the same time."

OOOOOOOOOOO

Maria continued to try to apologize to Friedrich for calling him a child as they finished their journey to Switzerland. He accepted, but their relationship still felt like there was something missing from what they once had. Maria knew she had to do something to make up for it, but she had no idea what it might be.

In the meantime, they finally reached Switzerland, so Maria could stop worrying the Nazis might shoot Georg again or capture the rest of their family. She also didn't have to worry about Friedrich putting too much pressure on his ankle.

Georg found a small in where their family could spend the night, but they would still have to leave soon. "The Swiss are _very_ careful about which immigrants they allow in their country," he explained quietly to Maria while the children set up their room for the night. "I think it would be a good idea for us to buy train tickets to England, to stay with Agathe's parents for the near future."

The idea of living in a country where she didn't know the language very well made Maria uncomfortable. Not to mention that she had no idea what Agathe's parents might think of her. It scared her, quite frankly, reminding her of the times she run away a child and more recently, the time she'd run from her family. But Georg smiled at her and looked right into Maria's eyes. Maria knew she wasn't alone anymore and she could trust Georg to protect their family. "If that's what you think is best, Georg," she told him, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Do you think Agathe's parents will have one of her old violins available?"

Georg grinned and wrapped his arm around her. "Probably. And some of her other things that the children can have as well. And don't worry, Maria; I'll help you when we get there. I think my past is ready to meet my present." He gave her a small kiss, and then rubbed his face, which had a week's growth of a beard. "After I shave, that is," he added with a chuckle. "I look so ridiculous like this that I don't think my past _or_ my present is impressed right now." He stepped into the room he'd rented for Maria and himself, ready to remove all the hair off of his face.

"Well, you're "present' thinks you look rather handsome, all rugged like that, but I like you clean – shaven, too," Maria told him, following him into their room and admiring his face for a moment. Then she went next door to see how the children were doing.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

After Georg had bought them some dinner, Maria helped the younger children with their baths. Meanwhile, Georg explained their plans to the older children. When Marta and Gretl finally emerged from the bath tub, wrapped in towels and smelling squeaky clean, Maria noticed Friedrich standing near the wall.

Without thinking, Maria walked right up to him and curtseyed. "Excuse me gentleman, may I have this dance?" she asked, doing her best to sound like she was talking to the man Friedrich wanted so badly to be. Friedrich seemed to stare at Maria's hand for far too long. They could have probably traveled from Austria to Switzerland all over again. But just when she thought Friedrich was going to turn her down, he finally smiled and accepted Maria's hand. 

Maria was aware Friedrich knew how to waltz. So she began waltzing with her oldest son, all over the children's bedroom. There was no music playing, but that was fine with Maria. As she had told the children already, nothing could stop them from singing. So she began humming the song she'd originally bonded with the children. "My Favorite Things," as she and Friedrich danced. Within a minute, the other children began singing along, growing more cheerful by the minute.

Friedrich smiled at her as they danced, and his smile reached all the way to his eyes and ears, which was something that hadn't happened in the last few days. Maria smiled back, loving that he'd finally forgiven her for what she'd said. They really felt like a family now; the Von Trapp Family. Georg was right. It was time for his past and present to meet. With God's help, it would all go well. After all, Georg had made it perfectly clear that he didn't think Agathe had been better than Maria was, and he didn't treat her like he expected her to _be_ Agathe.

In fact, right now Maria felt just how much her husband loved and desired her. As she danced with their son, she could feel his eyes studying her legs, her back, her neck, and back to her legs again. There was a time when the feeling of Georg watching her like that would have made her nervous. But right now, it only made her eager.

When "My Favorite Things," ended, Friedrich smiled and walked Maria over to his father and placed her hand in his, exactly like they had planned for him to do at the wedding before he was injured.

"Thank you, son," they both said at the same time, and then chuckled at the way they could sometimes speak simultaneously like that Then Georg gave Maria another "hungry look" as he his eyes moved up and down her body, and she shivered in anticipation. It had been _far_ too long. "We'll if you are all set, Maria and I going next door. We'll meet again in the morning."

 **Well, that's it. I appreciate all of you reading this, particularly those who gave me reviews.**

 **And for those that haven't yet, it's not too late! I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter and/or the story as whole. Just make sure your reviews are** _ **honest**_ **, please. Tell me what you like as well as what you think could be improved.**

 **Here's some responses.**

 **HY: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the wedding, as well as my other SOM stories.**

 **Giulia: Glad you liked the idea about Friedrich walking Maria down the aisle, as well as why that didn't happen in canon. I hope you enjoy the Friedrich/Maria scene in this chapter as well. It doesn't make up for it not happening in canon, but I think it makes it better. As a person who prefers post – marriage stories, I completely understand your desire for me to continue this one, but the reality is I had to end it somewhere, especially as there are other fandoms I want to write for now. However, I do have some ideas for SOM one – shots that will take place in the same universe as LPP, so you can look for those.**

 **Bloomandgrow: I'm glad you liked the way I dealt with Agathe's legacy and Maria and the others becoming a family. Glad you liked the wedding, too. Also glad you liked the children's scenes. (You know me and those children interaction scenes. :) ) And Max may drive Georg nuts sometimes, but at the end of the day, he's very loyal to Georg, and I think Georg knows that.**

 **And I'm glad you liked my reference to Georg not caring about what others think. On one hand, that kind of thing is what leads to so many arguments between him and Maria; (because he ALWAYS believes he's right) but it's also a very admirable quality of his, that he isn't swayed by the "popular opinion" and I definitely think that one reason why Maria loves him.**

 **Srhittson: I'm glad you enjoyed the wedding, and I hope you enjoyed the epilogue as well.**

 **Guest: Thank you.**

 **Kiwihipp: Thank you.**

 **I'm going back to OUAT (and Snowing) for my next multi – chapter story, but I do have a bunch of one – shots for SOM floating around in my head. I plan to start posting them in the fall.**


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